


Danny Phantom Reveal Scenarios

by DanaGone



Series: Identity Reveals [1]
Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-16
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2020-10-19 23:28:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 49,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20665586
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DanaGone/pseuds/DanaGone
Summary: This book contains different stories on how Danny's identity was revealed whether it be in school, by his parents, accidental or forced reveals. Be ready for new adventures every chapter! Warning: Slow Updates. Copyright Butch Hartman. All the characters in this book do not belong to me. I simply only own the plots!





	1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Here are all the different stories I will be writing in this book with the name and description. By the way, most of these happened before Phantom Planet (so it doesn't exist) However, I will specify if the story happens to be after it :) (BTW I DON'T APPROVE OF PHANTOM PLANET)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. I simply only own the plots**

* * *

1\. The school goes into lock-down because of a ghost. However, Danny can't change because he's forced to stay in his English classroom. To avoid suspicion, Danny and his friends stay in the classroom, hoping someone is taking care of the disaster. Paulina suggests they play "Truth or Dare" and that's where things go downhill. **(Completed)**

2\. Danny's secret is revealed by no other than Vlad, on the news. However, most people don't believe him even when Vlad tries to connect the dots. That doesn't stop the school from starting theories and discussions. Sam and Tucker tell Danny to lay low so it doesn't drive suspicion. How long is it till Danny's secret is finally revealed? **(Completed)**

3\. It's April Fool's day, and everybody's pulling pranks on each other. Danny decides to play a prank but then Dash and Kwan decided it would be funny if they play a spray paint prank on him back during lunchtime. Whispers roam around and everybody's confused. Danny wasn't expecting it. Could it be?** (Honestly, I feel like they would still be oblivious that Danny Phantom is Danny Fenton but let's just pretend they aren't dumb) (Completed)**

4\. Somehow, somebody was able to photo-shop and leak a photo of Danny Fenton in a Danny Phantom costume. Danny panics and his friends help him find out who the culprit is without raising suspicion. Could the students of Casper High finally recognize their hero? **(Again, probably not) (Completed)**

5\. Danny's parents somehow manage to catch phantom's blood sample and discover that he's a halfa! Knowing he could be a human boy, they aren't hunting him anymore and are quick to announce it on the news. It's winter, but that doesn't stop them from researching and when things get a tad too close, Danny must do something to prevent himself from getting revealed.** (Completed)**

6\. When Phantom is now announced as also a teenage boy, he's forced to go to Casper High. Danny is met by swarming fans, confused teachers and cameras being pointed every single minute. It's going to be hard and even though Danny can duplicate to keep Danny Fenton from getting caught, how long will that last without people start to put two and two together?** (Completed)**

7\. Danny is captured by his very own parents and they're demanding answers. They created a lie detector so when a question is asked, he has to answer truthfully. What will he do when the questions start getting a bit too personal? **(Completed)**

8\. **(This takes part in the episode 'Mirco-management)** Danny and Dash were so close to getting his father's ghost invention but Danny switched back to his human self and wasn't able to hide his identity. Dash is shocked but they have to put aside confrontations and focus on the task at hand now that they're both human, running away from a crazy ghost hunter. Will they survive? And most importantly, will Dash keep Danny's secret or share it with the whole school?

* * *

**A/N: The thing I've noticed with some of these story plots have been taken and I feel like I'm copying someone else even when I'm not. But rest assured, the plot might sound the same but the story isn't as it's in my writing style. Hopefully, that explains better. More will be added soon by the way so make sure you check regularly!**

**Word Count: 630**


	2. Truth or Dare?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The school goes into lock-down because of a ghost. However, Danny can't change because he's forced to stay in his English classroom. To avoid suspicion, Danny and his friends stay in the classroom, hoping someone is taking care of the disaster. Paulina suggests they play "Truth or Dare" and that's where things go downhill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. I simply only own the story plot.

"Damn man. You look terrible!" Tucker exclaimed worryingly as Danny and his friends walked to their next period class, forcing their legs to continue the long journey.

Danny was indeed exhausted. After the box ghost managed to escape him three times and Skulker came back with new weapons, he barely got any sleep. All Danny wanted to do right now was ditch school and take a well-deserved nap. To make things worse, he didn't finish the literature assignment Mr. Lancer had assigned to him two days ago. He was sure that his typical excuse wouldn't work this time.

"Jeez, thanks, Tuck. That makes me feel so much better," Danny sarcastically said, earning a comforting hand squeeze on his shoulder by Sam.

"Look at the bright side, Danny! We can get to class earlier this time!" The goth brightly stated, trying to cheer up the half-ghost boy.

Although that fact was assuring, Danny knew it wouldn't last long. It never does. He was one hundred percent sure that a ghost would have to interrupt the moment of tranquillity he barely got these days.

"I doubt it. I'm going to try to be more positive though. I got three detention slips by Mr. Lancer this week alone! Doesn't he have better stuff to do than torturing his students? And the thing I hate the most is that guys like Dash get away with stuff like this _all the **damn** time._ Like, I'm sorry for protecting this town from ghosts," Danny grumbled angrily, sighing as he took out his books from his locker.

"Why don't you tell everyone your secret then? Wouldn't teachers be more lenient with you and gain respect from our classmates?" Tucker asked as the group walked to class, ignored by the rest of the students.

"Um,_ hello?!_ The guys in white chasing the ghost boy every chance they get? My parents wanting to rip me apart molecule by molecule? I'm honestly surprised with myself that I haven't required therapy yet. Do you guys even know the feeling where your parents want to get rid of you? _Every. Single. Day,_" Danny exclaimed as a blue mist suddenly escaped his mouth, earning a sigh from his two best friends.

"So much for arriving early to class today," Sam murmured as Danny signalled to them to head to class without him and he quickly dashed to the washroom. As he was about to open the door, a certain buff blond bumped into him.

"Watch it, fenturd," Dash snarled, earning a tired sigh from Danny as he ran into an empty stall. He stopped himself from yelling out his battle cry and forced the blue rings to form around his waist, transforming him from top to bottom. Once Danny was sure that nobody was in the washroom, he turned invisible and slipped by the bathroom door.

Danny searched down the busy hallways when suddenly, the bell rang and the students scattered to their homerooms. The halls were now empty, not a ghost in sight. Danny decided to just go back to class after seeing that there wasn't a ghost nearby so he wouldn't get yelled at when suddenly, he's hit by an ectoplasmic gun.

"Long time no see, whelp!" a familiar voice growled, slight amusement in his voice. Danny turned around, holding his bruised shoulder from the sudden impact.

_Great. Just what I needed,_ Danny mentally said before shooting an ectoplasmic ball back at one of Skulker's mechanic wings. _Didn't he try destroying me yesterday? How much time does he have in his hands?_

"Brought new weapons this time?" Danny asked dryly as they continued to fight, the atmosphere getting thicker by the minute. Skulker then used one of his new weapons to target Danny with a high energy shot. This caused Danny to crash onto the science classroom door, his shoulder coming in contact with the heavy door.

"I'm glad you noticed. I've added some new features to it in just a day. Like it?" Skulker asked smugly, ready to deliver another blow when Danny quickly turned invisible before striking him from behind, destroying yet another newly designed weapon.

"Did Technus update it for you? It's so 1.0," Danny smirked as Skulker glared, trying to get a hold of himself when he's suddenly sucked into a familiar thermos.

"Thanks, Tuck, for the save! I didn't know how much longer I can take him, I'm exhausted! How did you manage to get here anyway? You have class!" Danny questioned, earning a grin by Tucker.

"I asked for a bathroom pass, it wasn't hard. I wasn't going to leave you to fight that crazy ghost hunter alone man. Speaking of which, Mr. Lancer is in a bad mood today. You better take a minute or two to think of a good excuse," Tucker stated seriously as he left, heading to the washroom before tossing Danny the thermos.

Danny quickly caught it and floated back to the ground, transforming back to his human self. He stuck the thermos in his backpack and took a moment to think about the situation he's in.

_What crud luck. I'm tired, Skulker managed to fire a hard shot on my right shoulder, and I don't have an excuse as to why I'm late,_ Danny grumbled mentally to himself, before heading to his classroom.

Danny reluctantly entered the room, facing his bored classmates. Some were fidgeting with their school supplies while others were throwing paper balls just to annoy their friends. Danny made eye contact with Sam for a brief second before turning to face an angry-looking teacher.

"Mr. Fenton, would you care to explain to me as to why you're late to class for the third time this week?" Mr. Lancer asked, his voice laced with annoyance. Danny opened his mouth to defend himself then closed it, hoping an idea would suddenly pop in his head. To make things worse, the whole class was quiet now, some whispering while others watching attentively.

"I-um well, you see, I was walking in the hallway when there was a ghost attack and this ghost hunter- and _Phantom_ appeared. I couldn't move because I was blocked and they were fighting furiously and all so..." Danny explained, making sure to leave the unnecessary bits out. The thing that makes this story so believable is that there was an actual ghost attack in the school and he has the dents by the science room to prove it.

Mr. Lancer sighed, somewhat tired from everything and Danny stared at him, not able to blame him. The class was a mess and everybody was fooling around. If he didn't make a move now, Mr. Lancer's was going to snap and the blame would be put on him.

"Mr. Fenton, this is your_ last_ warning-"

"Hey, I'm sorry- I won't be late tomorrow, or ever actually but like you know, can't prevent accidents that were meant to happen. Anyway, consider a change to happen starting Monday," Danny stuttered and hurriedly scurried to his desk in the middle. _Or starting never,_ he added mentally.

Sam gave him a glance asking 'Are you okay?' as Danny nodded, silently signalling her that everything's been taken care of. A couple of minutes passed by and Tucker got back to class, taking his seat beside Danny's.

Mr. Lancer got back to his lesson, talking about Shakespeare and one of his stories as Danny yawned, clearly not interested. Tucker then leaned towards Danny's desk, eager to ask him a question that's been on his mind for a long time.

"Hey. How did it go with Mr. Lancer?" he whispered to Danny.

"Not that bad actually. I expected him to lash out on me but he surprisingly just gave me a warning," Danny whispered back, as Tucker sighed, looking at the board solemnly.

"Not for long."

"Wait, why-" Danny whispered confused, turning to look at where Tucker was staring. The realization then dawned on him when Mr. Lancer started talking about the homework due today. Danny didn't finish his, so he quickly grabbed the blank crumpled sheet from his purple backpack and started answering the questions quickly. However, they weren't easy and seeing that Danny didn't read the story, he had no idea how to answer them.

He then felt a gentle poke on his right and turned to face Sam, who was waving her sheet of paper in front of him.

"Here. Copy mine-" and just when she was about to hand him the completed homework paper, Mr. Lancer strolled by his row, eyeing him curiously.

"Mr. Fenton, may I have your homework paper please?" he asked as Danny sighed, knowing he won't be getting out of this quickly. Nervous as ever, he was about to hand him the crumpled piece of paper when he realized he doesn't even have his name on it. All there was, was a numbered list where the answers were supposed to go while everything else on the sheet seemed blank and had pencil stains caused by hand smudges. Too embarrassed, he came up with the simplest excuse.

"Well, I did do it but I forgot it at home. I'll make sure to give it to you by the beginning of Monday," Danny said as Mr. Lancer sighed tiredly, glaring at the boy.

"Mr. Fenton, this is unacceptable! You've been failing your studies, coming in late and not finishing your homework. What's the meaning of this? Some might say you have a second life or something," Mr. Lancer exclaimed, unimpressed with the boy's lack of responsibility.

_Oh, you have no idea._

Danny opened his mouth to speak but he found no words. It's like his mind had shut off. Unable to reply, he slumped in his seat, staring at his fingernails while his classmates snickered.

Oh if only he can transform right now in front of him and show him the reason why. They would have surely understood. One move and he wouldn't have to deal with this anymore. One move, and he'll finally earn the respect of his classmates. One move, and he won't have to worry about revealing his secret identity anymore.

But Danny stayed put, resisting the urge to transform this second.

"I'm sorry," he finally said, his voice quiet and full of hopelessness. Mr. Lancer shook his head, not knowing what else to say before continuing onto the row and collecting the rest of the homework.

Mr. Lancer never understood why Danny was so far behind in his classes. He knew Danny was smart and he could do well if he had someone to push him. But it wasn't laziness. He was sure. But he didn't know what else was causing the boy to act like this.

_And I never will understand,_ Mr. Lancer sighed sadly before walking back to the front of the classroom and continuing with the lesson.

* * *

The bell finally rang, signalling the end of the class as the trio quickly gathered their stuff, eager to exit the stuffy classroom. Literature was boring, as usual, but Danny was feeling worse than before and the snickering of his classmates wasn't helping the least. All Danny wanted to do was go back home and have a long nap with no interruptions by any ghosts. It's like an impossible wish nowadays.

The students were about to leave the classroom when a loud alarm interrupted, causing everybody to freeze. Not knowing how to act, everybody whispered among themselves, discussing the possibilities.

"Students and staff of Casper High. We are currently under attack by some unknown yet powerful ghost. Not until Danny Phantom or the government's ghost hunters arrive, all students are required to say in their homeroom classes and not leave until further instructions are provided. Be safe everyone!" The intercom closes, causing the panic of the students to rise.

As if on a signal, a blue mist escaped Danny's mouth, causing him to be more alert of his surroundings. He turned to face his two best friends as they nodded, silently telling him that they'll take care of his identity when he's gone.

_So someone powerful, huh? That could only be one person-_ Danny is about to lunge for the door when Mr. Lancer grabs his arm, preventing him from doing so.

"And where do you think you're going, young man?" Mr. Lancer asked, raising own of his brows as Danny stopped, noticing that this won't be an easy task.

"Well, um, I need to go to- to the washroom! Yeah," Danny quickly replied but to no use, as Mr. Lancer pushed Danny back to the classroom, placing him on an empty chair. Sam and Tucker noticed this, trying to think of a way out. After all, they couldn't just sit here and watch.

As the class goes into theories on how Phantom will save them, Danny, Sam, and Tucker huddled in a corner, brainstorming ideas. Danny can't just turn invisible and disappear or that will be suspicious. However, he can't stand by and do nothing. He still doesn't know who this ghost is and for all he knew, he could've hurt tons of people by now!

"Why are you so nervous Fenturd? Scared the box ghost will come here and give you a scare?" Dash joked, earning a high-five by Kwan. Danny rolled his eyes by the irony of that sentence.

_Wasn't he just panicking with his friends minutes ago?_ Danny stated mentally, trying to force himself not to grin in front of Dash. The least he needed right now is for Dash to wail on him.

Fifteen minutes passed by and no sign of Phantom. Mr. Lancer tried to calm the class down but they were all worried. One question was swarming in their heads.

**Where is Danny Phantom?**

"Why don't you just duplicate yourself?" Sam asked as Danny shook his head sadly.

"I can't. I'm still practicing that trick. And even if I do manage to hold it for some time, I won't be as powerful when facing this ghost we still don't know about. Half of my energy will be here in this stupid classroom. Ugh, what am I going to do now?" Danny panicked as his friends sighed before diverting their attention to the front. Mr. Lancer decided to turn on the news and everybody had quieted down.

"We can see here that some of the best ghost hunters are working together to fight this evil ghost. We still don't know it's motives or why it decided to haunt a high-school specifically, but we will soon. He is referred to as the 'Wisconsin Ghost' and decided to come here to Amity Park. Why? We don't know but that's not the only question we're asking. **Where is Danny Phantom?** This is Lance Thunder, speaking from the weather channel." The rest of the screen just showed Vlad Plasmius fighting off the ghost hunters without even trying. It looked like he was enjoying this!

_"Plasmius!_ I should've known," Danny hissed under his breath as Sam stared angrily at the screen responsible for the cold aura radiating off of her friend.

"Doesn't he have better stuff to do rather than terrorizing a bunch of high-school students? You were right about him being a fruitloop Danny," Sam uttered, earning a chuckle from Tucker.

"Well, what're we going to do then? We don't even know the real reason why he's here, for heaven's sake!" Danny growled as Tucker scanned his PDA, looking for something he can use to figure out Vlad. But to no use.

"I can't figure out how we can help at the moment. The only choices we have are either exposing you and everyone finding out about your secret, or you going against Mr. Lancer and getting into deeper trouble after," Tucker said, stating the facts as Danny sighed.

I guess we don't have a choice then. Okay, guys, wish me luck," Danny finally said, deciding to follow the second choice. There was no way he was going to reveal his secret, the situation wasn't that serious. He was in trouble anyway and Vlad has to be handled as soon as possible. Whenever Vlad is around, it's never good. Danny knew he had something under his sleeves.

Danny ran to the door, not wasting a minute before turning the knob. The next thing shocked him though. _The door's locked!_

_Someone must've locked the door from the outside,_ Danny thought as his friends quickly rushed behind him, trying to budge open the door but no luck.

"Well, I guess we're doomed to staying here or revealing your secret," Tucker stated before pulling over a chair and taking a seat. Danny and Sam followed his actions, finally out of ideas.

"And I thought having a sleepover with Paulina is the worst thing that can happen," Sam muttered to herself as the two boys chuckled. Tucker's face then changed into a surprised expression and he pushes his PDA towards his two friends. At first, they were confused but then their eyes grew big when they read the headline and further down the bold text.

"So he's looking for Danny Phantom to challenge him? Why though?" Sam asked as Tucker took back his PDA, reading further into the news page.

"Well, he said that Danny Phantom is secretly his son and he wants to talk but Phantom's hiding," Tucker read, his face growing serious by the second. Sam shook her head while Danny glared at the device, not believing what he was reading.

"Is he nuts?! No wait, he is but like, _what the hell!_ **His son?** He can forget it! What good is going to happen when he says that anyway, other than the curious media. I need to-" Danny got up, his face furious when his friends pushed him down, trying to calm him down so the rest of their classmates don't get suspicious.

"Danny, you can't go, remember? Plus, Vlad is trying to get to your nerves so you'll expose your secret. He knows how incautious you can get when you're mad. Take a deep breath," Sam explained, forcing Danny to take a deep breath and calm down.

"Sam's right, man. Vlad knows you won't join him and that you'll manage to find a way to prove you're not his son. Let's just take a break from all this and see what the class is up to at the moment, " Tucker suggested, earning a nod from Sam as they pulled their chairs to their class huddled in a big circle.

"I wonder where Phantom is. It's not usual from him to not appear in time," Mikey thoughtfully said as the rest of the class nodded in agreement.

"Well, I say we play a game to forget about all this. My skin's starting to get oily from all the stress. Truth or dare anyone?" Paulina suggested as the class agreed and Dash turned to face the trio.

"You guys in? Or too worried about the ghosts?" Dash grinned earning a frown by Danny.

"Oh, _I'd love to,_ " he retorted back, joining the group as Sam gently grabbed his hand hesitantly.

"Danny are you sure about this? This game isn't suitable for you, especially in your current situation, " she said worriedly as Danny grinned, pulling her and Tucker beside him.

"Oh come on guys. It's just a game. Plus, you're the ones who suggested I do something that takes my mind off, remember?" Danny stated before turning to look at Dash, his face darkening a bit. "Plus, I wanna prove to Dash that I'm not just some wimp he can mess around."

Sam sighed in defeat, taking her seat beside Danny. She had a feeling something wrong would happen but she didn't know what. Meanwhile, Tucker went back to playing his games on his PDA, not paying attention to the current game going on between his classmates.

"Okay then let's start. Kwan pal, truth or dare?" Dash asked as everybody turned to face Kwan.

"Dare"

"Hmm okay, I dare you to..." Dash said before turning to stop at Mr. Lancer. He grinned, facing Kwan again. "Dump some water on him. I'm going easy on you since you're first."

"But I'll get in trouble!" Kwan exclaimed but sighed in defeat when the class continued to stare at him, waiting for him to do it. He got up with the water-bottle in his hand, unscrewed, before going up to Mr. Lancer and dumping the contents in it.

"_Rip Van Winkle,_ what do you think you're doing?" Mr. Lancer exclaimed, his face angrier than before. Kwan went back to them with a slip in his hand.

"Thanks for the detention slip Dash," Kwan grumbled as the next person proceeded.

"Truth or Dare, Paulina?"

"Truth"

"Who do you have a crush on?" someone asked as Sam rolls her eyes. It couldn't be too obvious who it is. Paulina sighed dreamily, blushing a little and gazing at the sky outside the window.

"The ghost boy! Is he cute, _or what?_" she stated obviously as everybody nodded in agreement, not questioning why. Everybody loves Danny Phantom. Girls dreamed of dating him while guys hope in winning the best friend spot. However, Sam and Tucker both knew that wouldn't happen any time soon.

The game went on, some sharing embarrassing moments while others completing dares. Just then, Tucker's face got pale.

"D-Danny. You need to see this," the techno-geek stuttered, shaking Danny's shoulder.

"Not now Tuck. It's almost my turn!" Danny excitedly said as Sam leaned over Tucker's shoulder, taking a look at what was making her friend so nervous. She was curious as to why he was so worried, she knew it was only hospitals that made him react like that.

"Oh no," she quietly said, her face paling too. That got Danny's attention as he faced his two worried friends in worried curiosity.

"Oh come on guys. What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Danny asked, not liking the look his two best friends were giving him. Tucker then stuck the PDA in Danny's face, making sure he read every word under the video that was being played. Danny then took a look at the video when his eyes go wide at the unexpected news.

_His father._

He was now held captive by Vlad. Maddie was hopelessly trying to free him but Vlad was too strong. Vlad was now warning Danny that if he didn't come out in the next ten minutes, he'll destroy him. Of course, everybody was confused. Why was Vlad Plasmius using Jack Fenton as bait? Was he close to Danny Phantom?

At that moment, Danny's face went pale as a ghost, almost close to the shade of newly print paper. He tried to make a move but his hands weren't moving. They were cold as ice and it wasn't his powers that were acting up.

_"Danny. Danny? **DANNY?**"_

"Huh, what?" Danny finally turned his head back to his confused looking classmates. He wouldn't say anything for two minutes straight and they thought something was wrong with him.

"It's your turn. Or are you going back?" Dash smirked as Danny blinked blankly a few times before shaking his head.

"No, no, I can go," he said as he turned to face his worried friends. Danny couldn't think properly at the moment, the only person in his mind was his father. Vlad wouldn't dare hurt him, would he? I mean, sure he tried killing his dad before but that's before they met. They had a truce! He just can't-

Danny wasn't going to test that theory. He needed to act, **fast**.

"Truth or Dare?" someone asked, interrupting Danny from his train of thoughts. Everybody can see that Danny was worried about something but no one decided to question it.

"Truth," he responded immediately, ignoring the curious glances of his classmates.

"Tell us your biggest secret, " Dash said snickering, expecting something embarrassing. Danny froze and so did his two friends, unable to speak. What was he supposed to say? Of course, he can always lie and say something else just so they can get what they want but... _should he?_

His father's life was at risk and if he didn't get out this very minute, his father might die. If he doesn't reveal his secret right now, everybody's life will be in danger. Is it worth it? _Is it?_

Danny was in a tough situation. Everybody was now silent, waiting for him to say something-_anything_. The silence was killing them. He looked over to his friends, asking them to help. They knew what he had to do.

There wasn't a choice now. Danny took a deep breath. This is it. He would tell them and then get out of the school to save his father and defeat Vlad.

"Mr. Fenton, are you okay?" Mr. Lancer asked, his face deep in worry as he looked at the black-haired teenager. Danny was wearing a weird expression that nobody could quite tell. It was indeed frightening. He held the hands of his two best-friends, squeezing them for comfort.

"Well, I have this big secret that nobody knows of except for five people. Sam, Tucker, and Jazz were three of them. I haven't told this to anyone else and I'm forced to say this because of the current situation," Danny explained, looking at his classmates for a brief moment before continuing. "A couple of months ago, my parents created this ghost portal where it can reconnect to the other side of the earth- specifically the ghost zone. Sam, Tucker and I decided to explore it since it wasn't working anyway. I went in, wearing a white hazmat suit that Sam managed to convince me in doing."

The class was listening attentively, noticing Danny's serious look. Whatever he was telling them, it wouldn't be funny.

"I pressed on the 'on' button by accident inside the machine. My molecules got all mixed up and when I came out, I wasn't Danny _Fenton_ anymore," Danny said before closing his eyes and letting the two blue rings wash over him. "I was now Danny Phantom, a half-ghost."

Danny waited a couple of seconds before finally opening his eyes. To say the class was shocked is an understatement. The class looked like they've just seen a ghost! **(pun not intended)** Everybody was whispering, not believing their own eyes. They tried convincing themselves that it was just their brains playing tricks on them, but they knew the truth now.

**Danny Fenton is Danny Phantom.** That wasn't a question.

Finally, after an eerie silence, Mr. Lancer spoke.

"Lord of the flies, now that makes more sense!" he exclaimed as everybody slowly nodded in agreement. The constant tardiness, him being tired all the time and always appearing at the right time, it all made sense now!

"I know you guys have a lot of questions right now but I need to go. Like _really,_" he said as Mr. Lancer nodded understandingly, motioning him to fly out the window. Danny held both of his friends by the waist and flew them to where the crime is taking place. He still had four more minutes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's the end! I worked pretty hard on this story and I hope you guys liked it! If you guys aren't satisfied with the end, I might make it longer but for now, it's gonna stay like this.
> 
> Word Count: 4 518


	3. Vlad's Plan (P.1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny's secret is revealed by no other than Vlad, on the news. However, most people don't believe him even when Vlad tries to connect the dots. That doesn't stop the school from starting theories and discussions. Sam and Tucker tell Danny to lay low so it doesn't drive suspicion. But how long is it till Danny's secret is finally revealed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everybody! Glad you decided to continue :) Here's your update for today! This one is pretty long, by the way, took me about three days of continuous writing. Don't worry, the other chapters won't be as long as this one :)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. I simply only own the plots.

It was just an ordinary day at Amity Park. The sun was shining, birds were singing and everything seemed pretty fine. It's as if it were just any normal small town.

Well, if you count the ghosts coming in and out of the Fenton's portal, then it wasn't that 'normal'. They enjoyed coming to Amity Park and causing mischief. From trying to conquer the world to performing harmful pranks on humans, they found it as a source of amusement and authority. It was something they enjoyed. Well, at least _most _of them anyway.

Danny Phantom. Amity Park's hero was currently battling a technology ghost, planning to take over the world with his power over electronics. People awed as they saw their hero deliver a couple of outstanding moves along with some sarcastic remarks, before sending him to the Fenton thermos. The usual. By now, these daily ghost attacks were normal. Everybody looked forward to them because that meant seeing the ghost boy.

"I'll come back ghost child!" Technus yelled wickedly as he got sucked in the thermos. Danny securely closed the thermos before smiling. That was the last one for today and he couldn't wait till he got back home.

The media took this as a chance to huddle around Danny Phantom and question him about the bits of the fight. The reporters knew how much people were looking forward to the news tonight, especially if it involved a certain half-ghost.

_ "Who is this technology ghost?" _

_ "Tell us, what powers do you usually use?" _

_ "Where are these ghosts coming from?" _

_ "Why do you protect us, humans?" _

_ "Danny Phantom! I love you!" _

Danny tried to ignore the swarming questions being bombarded at him as he lifted himself from the ground and flew to search for a vacant place. However, it's pretty hard to find one with helicopters chasing behind your tail. So, Danny decided to turn invisible before flying near a dark alleyway and transforming back. The blue rings formed from his waist, reverting himself to his black raven hair, icy blue eyes, white and red shirt along with light oversized jeans.

"Well, today was a busy day," Danny murmured, to no one in particular. He walked outside, just to see the fans running towards the direction to where they _ thought _ Phantom was located, but no luck. It's as if he disappeared from the face of the earth. Everybody wondered, where did Phantom go? Did he have a place to call home? A family?

Danny smiled, seeing how the whole town is starting to like him and see him as a 'hero'! Well, except for a few people. The red huntress still held a grudge against him from the time he let ‘his dog' loose at Axion's lab, while the Fenton's never particularly liked ghosts from the beginning, convinced they were evil 'things' that didn't have any emotions. That left the government agents, also known as the guys in white, wanting to perform painful experiments to the ghost boy every chance they got. The good thing is, they'll never really manage to catch him. Especially now that he's known as a hero to many people around the world.

"I think I saw him go that way," Dash exclaimed, pointing to the direction leading to the arcade and pizza parlour. Paulina shook her head in response, crossing her arms in disagreement.

"No, no. I'm sure I saw the ghost boy go _that way_," she said, pointing to a different direction as the fans scattered all over the place, eager to find the _ invisible _ ghost. Everybody wanted the honor of meeting him and taking a picture with him to show off to their friends. He was practically a celebrity. Heck, _ even _ celebrities were a fan of him!

Danny decided to walk back home, hoping to decrease the amount of attention he's getting. Although his house was pretty far from here, it was a beautiful day, perfect for a walk. Danny couldn't imagine the last time he had experienced such tranquillity. Why not use this chance to do what any _normal _teenager would do?

Without a warning, Danny's phone rang from the inside of his jeans pocket, signalling a call from his best friend, Tucker. Before Danny could pick it up though, he noticed something strange in the street he was walking in.

Everybody was on their phones, their faces held captive in the bright device. It was like they were waiting for something shocking to happen and afraid that'll they'll miss something important if they left for even a millisecond. Of course, being born in the twenty-first century, everybody would be on their phones, but this was _ different _ . Strange and not normal. But again, when was Amity Park _ ever _ normal.

The whole block was listening to what seemed to be a live news video. Although Danny couldn't tell what it was or why people seemed interested in it, he decided it was best to ignore it and open the door to his front house, completely forgetting the missed call by his best friend.

The house smelled of fudge, which was typical considering his father enjoyed junk food and anything associated with sweets. He walked to the kitchen, checking out what they were having for dinner today, his stomach growling in process. He then remembered that he didn't have lunch today because he was 'fighting' the box ghost the whole time. His teachers weren't much help in the situation either because they didn't let him eat in the classroom without an explanation. But what was he supposed to say? I'm sorry, I was busy dealing with some annoying ghost? Ha, _ yeah right. _

It was a Thursday, meaning tomorrow was Friday and the weekend was right around the corner. That didn't give a reason for the ghosts to take a break though. However, today seemed somewhat calmer than usual and Danny was convinced that nothing can ruin this day. Nothing_. _

"Mom? Dad? I'm home!" Danny announced, figuring they'd be proud since he usually comes later at night. His curfew was at ten but he surprisingly managed to complete his ghost duties before then. That was a relief and Danny planned on going to sleep earlier today. When was the last time he slept at nine pm? Probably before he got his ghost powers even. However, Danny rarely complained about it. If it meant keeping his hometown safe, so be it. If he wouldn't protect them, _ who _would?

"Come here, sweetie! Look what's on the news!" Maddie excitedly exclaimed, paying close attention to the working television in the kitchen. Danny curiously peeked in and when he found out his parents were too busy with the ghost stuff instead of making dinner, he sighed and walked to the refrigerator to prepare something to eat. Sleeping on an empty stomach wasn't going to help him in any way, shape or form, especially since he needed the energy to fight ghosts all the time.

Danny took one quick look at the refrigerator before cringing at the first thing he saw. There was _ lots _ of stale Fenton toast and he didn't seem too fond of adding anything appetizing to that particular type of bread, so he settled with a banana. Simple yet full of energy.

"I'll be off to sleep now," Danny announced, peeling the skin of the banana, before taking one big bite. He didn't think they'd hear them so he was surprised by his parent's following actions. His father quickly looked back at him before grabbing onto one of his shoulders and pushing him forward to face the bright working screen.

"Danny boy, you've got to see this! This is about the ghost kid," Jack Fenton explained before diverting his attention back to the screen, hoping he didn't miss out anything important. Whatever it was, it seemed like everybody was excited and Danny's curiosity got the best of him. Sleep can wait. Everybody was acting weird ever since and he wanted to get to the bottom of this. After all, it did involve _him_. Well, _ half _of him anyway.

However, Danny couldn't keep his eyes open. They were begging him to shut down and finish for the night. Danny decided to listen to his eyes for the first time as he got up and walked out the kitchen door without uttering a single word. He was sleepy and fighting it won't do him any good.

As Danny descended up the stairs to his room located on the left, he remembered something important. He forgot to call Tucker. He was so confused about the citizens of Amity Park that he didn't realize he had a bunch of missed calls.

Three from Tucker and five from Sam. The number of times they called him made him frown with unease. Were they in trouble? Did they need his help and he wasn't here to deal with it? Of course, his friends were capable of taking care of themselves but there are still powerful ghosts out there. And the Fenton Thermos might not be enough.

Worry and anxiousness filled his throbbing head as he quickly pressed the call button, begging someone would pick it up. He called Tucker first, knowing the techno-geek always had his PDA with him everywhere he went.

When all Danny received was a voicemail, his heart started beating faster as he forced himself to call his goth friend. He waited and waited, hoping that he'd hear the voice of _ one _ of his best friends pick up and tell him everything's fine but no luck. Today was doing so good and he should've known better than to jinx it.

Danny tossed his phone carelessly on his bed, rubbing his temple before sighing out loud. He couldn't take it anymore. He _had _to see them, even if it was for a split second. He had to make sure they were okay and that nothing had happened to them. If anything happened to them, he knew it would be all his fault. It was his duty to protect every person, most importantly, his friends and family.

Just as he was about to transform into Danny Phantom, his cellphone rang, indicating an incoming call. He stopped what he was about to do and ran to it, afraid the sound would stop and he wouldn't hear it again. With his hands still shaking, he picked it up without reading who the dialer was.

"Hey, man-hey why do you sound like you've just run a marathon?" His best-friend questioned from the other side of the line.

"**TUCK!** _You scared me!_ Don't do that _ever _again. Why did you and Sam call me? Why weren't _you_ responding? Why wasn't Sam responding? Did something happen? _I swear_ I'll go kick this ghost's butt!" Before he knew it, the teenage ghost was spilling questions everywhere at his friend who was getting confused by the second.

"Okay, okay _calm down_! I was taking a shower, you don't expect me to bring my PDA in the bathroom, do you?" His friend questioned as Danny stifled a laugh.

"I mean, you're capable of it..." He replied as his friend rolled his eyes even though he couldn't see it. Give it to Danny to make a comical remark in serious situations.

"Second off, Sam's grounded so she can't use her phone or any technology, for the matter of fact. I wanted to talk to you about something important but that can wait for school tomorrow," his friend explained as Danny sighed heavily, feeling relieved and somewhat confused at the same time.

"No, no, I wanna know _now_. Does this have something to do with the recent news everybody's been interested in, regarding me?" Danny questioned, demanding he get a full explanation.

"Yes but let's wait till tomorrow. You sound pretty tired, plus we have a science test tomorrow that you should probably study for, " his friend finally said, before quickly hanging up on the line. Danny just stared at his cellphone in confusion, not knowing what to say.

He so badly wanted to go on a new tab and search for the news everybody was talking about but didn't feel the energy too. Heck, he didn't even have the energy to study for the science test he had tomorrow. He knew that if he searched up the news right now, he'll spend lots of time thinking about it and end up sleeping at midnight, which is _not _what he wanted. He promised himself that he'll take some time to rest and he can start by taking a good nap.

So Danny finally agreed to go to sleep and not think much about it. After all, how _bad _can it possibly be? His friends might be overreacting and making this a big deal. It's probably about a rumour that the ghost boy has a secret sibling or a girlfriend or something of such sort.

However, deep down, Danny knew something was terribly wrong, and he'll find out about it tomorrow. After he gets a good night's sleep.

* * *

Danny walked to school the next day, his eyes glowing bright blue. Everybody noticed something weird about Danny. He looked more..._ cheerful_. It's as if someone sprinkled magic dust on him the night before or something. Although nobody knew the reason _why _he was acting like this, his friends had some idea.

It's no surprise Danny had a good sleep yesterday. It was written all over his face. The way his eyes sparkled or how he smiled more often was enough evidence for the pair to arrive at such a conclusion. It even looked like the bags that were forming under Danny's eyes have finally begun to disappear.

"Well, someone's in a good mood," Sam teasingly said, as she watched her friend take out his books from his locker and shut it, not minding how weirdly everybody was looking at him.

"I guess I just feel a bit energized, " Danny replied, taking an apple from his backpack and munching onto it casually. Though his friends were glad that Danny finally felt good in a while, they couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling inside of them that forced them to ruin the teenage boy's mood. The news could've been any other day yet it decided yesterday would be a perfect time, in sync with Danny's happy mood.

And Danny noticed how they tried to fake their smiles. Although Danny was sure they were happy for him, he was also sure that there was something wrong, that his friends wouldn't tell him about. Sam and Tucker wouldn't stop shooting weird glances at each other, both of them not wanting to ruin the boy's mood. He was finally happy and the stupid news couldn't just come in and ruin it.

_ "Should we tell him?" _ Tucker whispered to Sam nervously as she sighed, fidgeting with her black and green striped skirt.

_ "We have to, we don't have a choice. He would figure it out sooner or later and we have to be there when he does. You don't know what can happen, _" Sam whispered back as Danny shot them another confused stare.

Danny didn't like the look his friends possessed. They looked worried about something like they wanted to say something to him but they just couldn't. He knew it had something to do with the news yesterday but why did it seem so bad? I mean, everyone else seemed excited and happy, starting with the students of Casper High. At this point, it was annoying him, and he wanted nothing more than to find out.

"Guys, what's wrong?" Danny soberly asked but when they wouldn't say anything, he grabbed their arms and dragged them to the storage room, where they held their secret meetings at. Danny thought that maybe they couldn't say anything since there were people around but here, it was just them.

"You have two minutes before the bell rings. Spill," he demanded as Tucker gulped, trying to avoid making eye contact with him, while the goth just scratched her arms nervously, glancing at Danny now and then. Twenty seconds have passed by and the pair made no effort in saying _anything _to Danny. He glared at them before taking out his phone, an idea forming in his head.

"If you guys don't say anything for three more seconds, I'll leave and read what's been worrying you guys, _ alone_," Danny warned, unlocking the password to his phone before opening up Google and showing them the screen. Sam and Tucker knew that he was being serious.

"One..."

"Two..."

"Thr-" his friends quickly interrupted him, grabbing the phone from his hand.

"Fine, fine! We'll tell you, **jeez**. So that's why ghosts enjoy fighting with you," Tucker murmured as he pushed Sam, motioning her to talk.

"Well, yesterday, when you finally finished off Technus and we took care of the box ghost, the news said that someone was joining us that would be giving valuable information about the ghost boy. He seemed pretty serious about it like it was some sort of villainous plan. We couldn't quite tell who it was because he was wearing a black hood to hide his face, but his voice was really familiar. The dangerous thing though, was that he was about to reveal your secret identity," Sam finally spat out, looking up to see Danny's face paling.

Indeed, he was worried. _ Just how much did they know? _ Who was this person and why would they do something like that? Sure he had enemies but what would they gain from doing such? He knew it was something bad but not this much! That explained the excitement in everyone as they were finally about to figure out their hero's identity!

"That's not all," Tucker added, earning a frustrated groan by Danny. "He was busy yesterday and he said he would tell us the information today! He was pretty serious about it too and said he had enough evidence to prove it. We were hoping you'd visit him yesterday but you seemed tired."

"_ Guys, _ ** _this is serious!_ ** If I'd known _yesterday_, I would've been less worried and had a chat with this _ 'mystery person'_. We could've figured out who it was by now and already talked with him. And the fact that I had to force you guys to tell me right now makes me even more **irritated,**" Danny exclaimed, clenching his fists, ready to blast the first ghost that showed up right now. His friends noticed this as they looked at him with nothing but guilt, but said nothing.

"But," Tucker trailed off as Danny looked up at him, waiting for him to continue. "We kind of figured out who this mysterious person is. Yesterday actually, with the help of myself, of course."

"Who?" Danny quickly asked, eager to find out the culprit. He knew it had to be a ghost because they were the only ones who knew about his secret. Plus, the fact that this person was being shady made things even more suspicious.

"_ Vlad Masters, _" the two said at the same time, earning a shocked yet angered expression by their friend.

"**That fruit loop?! ** But _why _ ?! Doesn't he know I can expose him too? What's he going to gain if he tells everyone my secret? _ Money? _ He's already rich and can easily get some if he wanted to! _ Fame? _ He's known as a billionaire _for heaven's sake, _" Danny yelled furiously, angry that his arch-enemy would do such a cruel thing.

"We honestly don't know and that's why we're waiting for you to pay him a visit," Sam explained as Danny nodded, calming himself.

"Okay, I'll go during lunchtime. I can't waste any more time," he said as his friends nodded in agreement, the school bell ringing at the same time. His friends exited the small room, comforting Danny and telling him everything will be alright.

"How did you guys even manage to figure out it was Vlad?" Danny asked confused, the thought of it flashing in his head. Tucker grinned, smiling at his PDA while their goth friend rolled her eyes.

"Sweet ol' technology," Tucker said and that was all the conformation Danny needed.

* * *

"You got everything ready?" Tucker asked, earning a nod by Danny.

They were all currently in Danny's parent's lab, loading the specter speeder with ghost equipment such as the _boomerang_, specter deflector and some other ghost weapons they thought would help them. Vlad was a dangerous man and you can never predict his moves, just like in chess. He was sneaky, forming evil plans day and night though Danny was sure he did other normal human stuff too. Although Danny managed to beat him continuously, he was not someone you wanted to mess around with or get on his bad side. He has the power to make someone's life hell if he wanted too with the snap of his fingers. That was speaking from experience, the time Danny decided to play a little prank on him.

_ Right, when the bell for lunch rang, his friends told their parents they were 'going out for lunch' and that they'll come back just in time for class. Danny told them that there was no need and that he can take care of himself but his friends insisted that they do. They wouldn't let their friend go to some crazy Fruitloop's house who also, by the way, wanted him as his evil apprentice, tried killing his father and hooking up with his mother. It was too dangerous. _

_"Guys, you need to eat your lunch, honestly I'll be _**_fine,_** _" Danny had said the moment they left school property._

_ "You haven't eaten lunch for three days and are lecturing us about our diet? Yeah, not happening," Sam stated annoyingly as he rolled his eyes before transforming into Phantom and picking both his friends up. _

_ "Plus, I got us food. You need some calories, Sam needs to eat her veggies and most importantly, I need my meat. I can't live a single hour without my daily feeding," Tucker stated as he patted his backpack, showing them all the food they needed was in there. Danny smiled softly, seeing how much his friends cared for him. He couldn't wish for better friends. _

_ "Of course you can't. But I don't think there's a bathroom to where we're going..." Sam trailed off, jokingly teasing him as Tucker scoffed, crossing his arms just to hide his embarrassment. _

_ "Says the one who eats grass and soil for lunch," Tucker scoffed as Sam glared at him, not liking the choice of words he was using to describe her lunch. _

_ "Says the one who's eating animals for lunch when they're meant to be free," Sam replied, earning a cold stare from Tucker. _

_ "Says the one who-" before Tucker can complete the sentence and have an argument breakthrough in the middle of the air, Danny coughed loudly to bring back their attention. _

_"Guys, _**_please._** _ Remember the last time we had this discussion? Let's fix this situation and then you guys can start another riot," Danny dryly said, rolling his eyes at his friends as they sighed, remembering their current situation. Before any of them got to say anything, Danny quickly landed them to a safe spot near the FentonWorks before reverting to his human self._

_ "Come on, let's go! We need to head to my parent's lab," he said, forcing them to tag along. _

And so here they were, finally finished packing the necessary equipment needed for the quick trip.

"Hey, where's Jazz anyway? Surprised she didn't mention any of this stuff to you," Sam asked curiously as Danny sighed sadly, remembering his loving sister.

"She's at this college open house for one week. I think it has something to do with showing the students around the campus and such. You should've seen how happy she was when she first got their booklet, mentioning the many libraries it included. She was about to burst into tears of joy," Danny chuckled, smiling at the memory of his sister. Yes, he missed her _a lot_. No matter how pushy and protective she got, he cared for her and missed her and that's when he realized he needed her sometimes. She was his older sister after all, and just because he had ghost powers didn't mean he didn't need her help or support. He couldn't wait till Monday to see her again.

"You miss her, don't you?" Sam asked softly, smiling as Danny nodded, noticing he spaced out for a pretty long time.

"Yeah, it's pretty quiet without her in the house," he jokingly said, as he got into the Specter Speeder, reaching out a hand for his friends to take and get in.

"Should we tell her?" Tucker asked, referring to all the events that occurred in the past twenty-four hours, as Danny shook his head.

"_ No_. The least we need right now is for another good mood to be ruined. I called her yesterday morning and she seemed pretty content right now. I don't want her to worry, better yet, freak out when we tell her we're visiting Vlad right now. She'll book the first ticket back here as soon as possible. I'm being serious here," Danny said as he noticed his friends giggling and he couldn't help but smile.

"Okay well then, let's go. Wait, um, how do we know he's in Wisconsin? He could be anywhere since that rich jerk has mansions all over the place. We can't go through all of them with this much time left," Sam explained, showing him her wristwatch as Danny's face lit up, an idea forming in his head.

"I think I know how we can figure out where he's staying," he mischievously said before getting out of the ghost vehicle and running upstairs to the kitchen floor. After a couple of minutes, he came running back down, a neon pink sticky note in his hand.

"Last month, he gave my mom his phone number," he said disgustedly, handing them the untouched paper. Of course, his mother didn't bother calling him but it didn't get thrown out either. He thought he might've needed his phone number in case he felt the urge to annoy him. He was glad that he did keep it.

"Ew, can't he take the hint your mom isn't interested?" Sam shuddered, looking at the pink paper like it was some sort of contagious bacteria.

"Apparently _not_. He's a _ fruitloop _after all," Danny stated, shivering slightly in response. The man seriously needed therapy. He should've used internet dating or better yet, gotten a cat to keep him company. He did live _alone _after all.

"Wait, I think I know where you're getting at. You want us to call and have one of us keep him in company so he doesn't hang up while _ I _ trace the call using my PDA. Smart," Tucker explained thoroughly, preparing his device as Danny grinned.

"Correct, except for one thing. We can't have one of us call him or that'll be too _suspicious_. He'll definitely know we're planning something. We'll use the device my parents created to translate what ghosts say and make it sound like some sort of commercial or something," Danny explained, as Sam smirked, cracking her knuckles.

_ "So prank calling? I like it"_

* * *

They spent ten whole minutes laughing. Whenever they called Vlad, they wouldn't get to complete one full sentence before bursting into laughter. The good thing was that Tucker managed to track his location so they didn't waste much time. Vlad was getting irritated by the second and what angered him the most was that he didn't know _who _was calling him.

"Vlad's smart, but he can be clueless sometimes," Tucker stated, still working on the location as Danny and Sam grinned in agreement.

**"This is internet dating for old men. Would you like to register?"**

**"We heard you're lonely. Wanna hook up with some sexy women today?"**

**"This is Petsmart's. Care for a pet, perhaps a cute kitten to keep you company?"**

The pranks were endless and in the end, Danny was afraid they could've gotten caught. However, he just smiled toothily, knowing he didn't care if Vlad found out or not. Right now, the PDA will just take them to wherever Vlad goes.

"Ready guys?" Danny asked as he unlocked the Specter Speeder.

"We sure are," his friends said at the same time, still grinning from the pranks they did earlier.

* * *

"Okay, I take that back. Vlad _isn't _ a billionaire, he's a ** _trillionaire_**. How much did he spend on all this?" Tucker gasped, his face laced with shock as he explored the outside of the mansion. To say Vlad was rich is an understatement. He was _loaded. _ But to be fair, he started his business career by cheating on people.

"Looks can be deceiving," Sam replied dryly, sighing at the gold and green exterior of the mansion. The man was obsessed with the Packers team. One of three of his obsessions he couldn't buy no matter how much money he had.

"What's the point in having all of this money and not being happy? Sometimes, I wonder if he's happy with his life, excluding the fact that he can't have my mom," Danny stated as he took the hands of both his friends and turned them invisible. They would have to face him sooner or later but for now, he wanted to remain invisible in case there were any anti-ghost attacks. Vlad was predictable when it came to traps.

"Must be sad, man. I mean, yeah money can solve a person's desires and needs, but it can't buy _family nor friends, _" he stated as his friends nodded in agreement, slipping through the huge thick entrance doors and to the front foyer.

"Apparently, he thought money can buy my mom," Danny mumbled to himself, sighing as they slipped by another door, one that led to the untouched guest rooms. Danny didn't know why Vlad bothered having guest rooms if he never had company over.

Tucker's PDA was now beeping at a quicker pace, meaning they were close to him and that's when Danny decided to remain quiet. Vlad's surprise traps were the _least _he needed right now.

"Woah," the trio murmured as they passed by the man's private study. It was bigger than the other rooms and decorated with expensive and elegant old-fashioned furniture. There was a bookshelf along with an antique table and an exorbitant laptop neatly placed on top.

"Okay guys, I'm gonna turn visible now. Try to search for any clues on how to access Vlad while I look around the other rooms. If something strange happens, you know what to do," Danny stated, pointing to the Fenton earphones in his ears as his friends nodded understandingly. Tucker went to access the man's laptop while Sam flipped through the books aligned on the bookshelf, pushing them back in their places when finished to avoid suspicion. Danny was at the other side of the room, phasing through the wall to see if there was some sort of passageway that led to a secret domain.

"Um, Danny. You should see this," The techno-geek murmured, pointing to the laptop he managed to find the password to. Danny floated to where Tucker was seated while the goth followed curiously to see what disturbed the boy so much.

"**Ew, what the heck Vlad!** " Danny growled, shielding his eyes from the laptop's bright pink and purple background. There were photos of his mom _everywhere _he clicked and the techno-geek was afraid to look each time he clicked on a new link or document. Who knew what _other _photos he had. Danny didn't even want to know where he got them from so he refrained himself from asking the question. His curiosity can wait.

"I mean, he practically _stalked _ Danny for who knows how long, and then tried to clone him so I'm honestly not _that _surprised," Sam said, gagging a bit when Tucker clicked on another document, filled with pictures of Danny's mother.

"Okay, I don't think we'll find that much here. We need to get to his laboratory where he kidnapped and kept me in once," Danny explained as Tucker nodded, quick to close the laptop shut.

"I cannot unsee this," he stated, shuddering as he pushed himself up before rubbing his aching temple. The man was seriously crazy if he thought Danny's mother would leave Jack and come join him. Everybody knew Maddie and Jack were in love with each other, dating back to their college days.

"Has your dad considered creating a memory machine where you can erase disturbing images?" Sam asked casually as Danny shrugged, checking the other folders to see if there was anything else that led to the secret lab.

"No, and I don't want to. It can be dangerous if it's held in the wrong hands, especially my dad's," Danny replied as Tucker nodded in agreement.

"When has your dad ever created something that didn't mess you up?" he said as Sam chuckled but then shook her head and took out the boomerang that was hanging by her hips.

"Except for this one. And the Fenton Thermos if it's not in Jazz's hands," she said, smiling at the memory of Danny getting stuffed into a thermos for two whole hours.

"Oh my god, that was _ so _ funny!" Tucker exclaimed as he started laughing, grabbing his stomach from impact. Danny frowned, still annoyed by that particular day as he gave him a cold glare.

"There aren't any bullies here to stuff you into lockers but I'm still in my ghost form," Danny warned darkly as Tucker immediately stopped laughing, earning a satisfied smirk by Danny.

"You gotta admit, Tucker's right. It was funny-but before you say anything, let's get out of here and search somewhere else. This place is starting to give me the creeps," Sam said, shivering at the creepy statues hanging near the fireplace as the two boys nodded in agreement. The place was indeed unpleasant and not somewhere someone, even a horror fan would consider living in. Danny gently picked up his two best friends by the waist and phased them through the locked door and into the dark hallway.

The trio was nearing, and they knew sooner or later, they'd come across their arch-enemy. Danny decided it would be safe now to turn visible since they were close to him but he took precautions regardless. He then placed his two friends gently on the ground, hovering only a couple of inches above it

"You know, if he weren't such a crazy jerk, I wouldn't have minded using his interior design," Sam said absentmindedly, admiring the Gothic wallpaper used in the hallways and the 19th century furniture matching to decorate it.

"_ Are you kidding? _ This place is creepy, man, you said so yourself! I don't know if I'd rather sleepover here or in an abandoned hospital," Tucker shivered, cautiously taking a step backward, preparing himself for something to pop up. Sam chuckled at his behaviour before resting her hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner.

Meanwhile, the young halfa wasn't paying any attention to the bickering going on between his two best friends. He hated to admit it but he felt a bit...anxious. He wanted nothing more than to get this over with and go back home, even if it meant sitting in Mr. Lancer's class. His friends noticed Danny's odd behaviour as they gave him a warm smile, silently telling him that he's got nothing to worry about and that they'll stay by him. Danny felt somewhat relieved he brought his friends with him.

"Okay guys, Vlad's behind this door right to the left," Tucker informed them, paying close attention to his device before pointing at the correct direction.

The first thing they noticed when they entered the unnerving room was the chilly atmosphere contained within it. The trio rubbed their shoulders in an attempt to get rid of the cold air, even Danny who was in his ghost form. The place seemed to look like an office. It had a very old yet strong wooden table in the room with matching antique chairs in front of it. There were bookshelves, filled with many books along with a tall velvet lamp and coffee table to the right of the room.

"Why, hello there Daniel. What a totally _unexpected _surprise. How are you?" a familiar voice coldly said, turning the massive chair to face the trio. Danny didn't know why, but the man's voice alone sickened him. It made him feel like some sort of prey, like a puppet he controlled.

The mid-forty-year-old man held his signature evil smirk along, wearing his usual outfit consisting of a white oxford shirt, red tie, and matching black dress pants and jacket. His grey hair was smoothly tied in a low ponytail that complimented the man's attire. He held the usual demeanour of arrogance and power, the only thing different being the creature sitting on his lap.

"A...cat? So you _did _take my advice," Daniel murmured, not helping but let out the grin tugging by the edge of his lips. The man frowned unimpressed, stroking the cat more fiercely, not noticing how his eyes flashed a dangerous red.

"Hmm, why this is my sister's cat. Thought I might do her a favour and take care of it," he merely said, waving off the topic as Tucker raised an eyebrow in amused confusion.

"But you don't have a sister," he said as his two friends giggled while the man just grinned back in amusement, placing the chubby cat on the floor. They watched the white creature scurry past their feet and to the open door behind them without a second glance.

"Ah, so I see I'm not the only one who _ 'stalks' _ someone, am I right ?" The man chuckled softly, pointing to the door behind them. "However, I'm not able to continue this _lovely _conversation much further no matter how much I enjoyed. I believe you guys have a class starting in what, twenty minutes, hmm?"

"_ Plasmius_. We've come to talk to you about the current news. I believe you're aware of that?" Danny calmly said, de-transforming back to his human form, making sure not to instantly rage at the man responsible for his mood being ruined. That earned a shocked, yet faked, glance by no other than the rich man.

"Ah yes. That's why your friends need to be _cooperative _and leave my office right now so we can...discuss this certain matter," the man replied smugly, pushing himself up from his chair before placing both his arms behind his back. The action was meant to cause intimidation to the two teenagers, however, the reaction was not what the man hoped for.

"**Do you think we're that stupid to-** " Sam quickly inserted, the previous calmness overtook by pure hatred towards the man. He'd already hurt Danny enough and she knew he wouldn't stop till he got what he _wanted. _

"Sam, I'll be _okay_. You guys can wait just outside the door if you like," Danny stated softly, gesturing towards the door as Tucker quickly took Sam's arm and dragged her out the door to avoid further disagreement. When both half-ghosts were sure the door was shut by the small _ 'click' _ it made, Vlad dusted the invisible dust on his black suit before taking a seat back, letting his shoulders relax in the seat's comfort. He motioned Danny to the empty seat in front of him but Danny remained standing there with a glare, not wanting to come _any closer _to the man.

"It's been a long time since we've talked. I missed you, _ little badger_," the man cheekily said, earning a harder glare by the boy. Danny never really liked the nickname his enemy called him but he couldn't get him to stop. 

**"What's the meaning of this?! ** Why are you trying to make my life miserable than it already is? What good are you going to benefit from revealing my identity? You know, I can expose you too! We'll see how my mom likes you after that. I know I would _love _to see her reaction," Danny exploded, his anger finally released but all he received was a light-hearted chuckle. That ticked off the teenage boy, even more, encouraging him to continue the rant but the man held one of his hands up.

"Daniel. I had this planned _weeks _ago, you think this was something I would plan out of the blue? I was expecting this. However, your earlier prank amused me. You should be _ thankful _ I decided not to get my deserved revenge," the man said darkly, his eyes flickering red before returning to normal. By the way the man was looking at Danny, he seemed pretty ticked off by the sayings of the pranks. Danny smirked, knowing that he at least got him mad but he quickly went back to the conversation.

_ "But-" _

"Oh _ Daniel_, don't you understand? I would benefit _so much _from revealing your identity. _ So much_. Do you really think I came to such a conclusion in one night? But of course, you wouldn't understand, **you never did**," the man said, emphasizing the last phrase before calmly getting up and walking to the bookshelf nearest to him.

_ "I don't-" _

"Listen closely Daniel, for I will not repeat this again. What do you think will happen after _ I _ reveal your identity, hmm? If you haven't realized yet, the guys in white are hot in your trail, not wasting any time when they spot you. Once they find out who you _ really _ are, they wouldn't stop till they capture you and take you in for painful experiments, those of which I, which might come out as a surprise, don't want to see you in."

_ "Like you'd care-" _

"I'm not finished talking Daniel, don't interrupt me. That's only _one _of the people who wouldn't take your secret _too _well. Let's talk about the red huntress, **Valerie**. Very determined young lady, hmm? She wouldn't stop till you're dead. Just imagine her shock when she realizes the person she's hunting was also the boy she used to like. Or still likes, actually. Oh, _ the drama_," The man continued, faking a dramatic expression before returning to his usual expression.

** _"Wait how did you-"_ **

"Ah and let's talk about _your _parents. My favourite part. They're _ghost hunters_, Daniel. ** _Ghost hunters. _ ** You know what that means, don't you? They hunt ghosts for a living, hated them all their lives. I'd know more than you since I've known them the longest. You've heard them yourself, stating how much they want to destroy the 'ghost boy', _ multiple _times. Surprised it hasn't affected you that much. Aren't you _hurt? _ What makes you think that they'll accept you, _ huh Daniel_? They believe ghosts have _no _feelings, that they can't feel pain nor love. When they find out their own _son _is one of the many species they hate, how do you think they'll react? Take you in for a hug? Are you sure they'll accept you and continue with their lives knowing there's a _ ghost _ living under the same roof as them?"

_ "But-" _

"But, let's say for instance they somehow **_do _**accept you. Hypothetically, of course. How are you so sure they'll look at you the same way they did before? How are you sure they'll remember to cover up their disgust by looking at you day and night for the rest of their lives. Let's say you loathe something _so much _and then you have to look at it for the rest of your life, pretending _nothing's _wrong. See the problem in this, _ dear boy _?"

**"I don't believe you, Plasmius!** You're doing all this to mess with my brain," Danny exclaimed hotly, pushing the possible thoughts away and focusing on his anger towards the man casually flipping through an old book, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

"You know what I'm saying is true, Daniel. Neither your fans, friends or sister will help you get through this. None of them will help to ease the pain you're in when everyone else rejects you, leaving you helplessly alone. _ Count my words when I say this. _ I'm warning you of the consequences of when I reveal your identity here," he said as the boy growled ready to shoot an ectoplasmic ball at the man. The man was seriously starting to tick him off. _ None _of it made sense, and he knew none of it was true. _ That _would **never **happen.

"I don't have to listen to what you say so save your breath, _ Plasmius. Your tricks don't work on me, _" the angered boy growled as the man chuckled, taking a few steps towards him, his face coaxed with amusement.

"You don't have to listen to what I say, Daniel. I'm giving you a choice here. Either I reveal your identity and your town disowns you or..." the man trailed off, the teenage boy still waiting for an answer. He was confused, though he was expecting a catch from this. Vlad wouldn't just reveal his identity without a good purpose.

_ "Or?" _

"Or you can join me. Now before you start ranting on how you'll never join me and calling me silly nicknames, listen to what I have to say for _three _minutes. Trust me when I say this Daniel, it's better for both of us. Think of all the opportunities, the possibilities of having you by my side. I can teach you everything and all you have to do is renounce your **idiot** father. It's that simple," the man explained, taking another step toward the boy as he took a step back, not wanting to be near the man. He was at this point disgusted with the older halfa, wanting to rip out the ugly smirk off his face. _ Did he really think he can sway him with a couple of words? _

"Nice try, Plasmius. You can fool anyone, including the president, but you can't fool me. You _never _will," the boy said, as the older man shrugged, not affected by the younger halfa's words, taking yet another menacing step towards him. The boy felt alarmed, taking a further step back until his back was touching the purple and black decorated wall.

"_ This isn't a joke Daniel. _ Either way, you'll come back to me, asking yourself why you didn't join me before. When I do tell your secret, _ nobody_, and I mean **_nobody _**will approve of you. _ No one _will be able to save you from who you are. You wouldn't have a place to call _home _anymore when your parents disown you from your house. You'll be lost and come here, knowing I'm the only one who's able to understand you. Whether you choose to believe me or not, it's your choice, Daniel. I'm not pressuring you to join me, I'm just saying it's more likely this would happen," the man finished off as he took another calm step towards the younger halfa. However, Danny at this point didn't know what to say or respond to the man's talk. He wouldn't even move away, even when they were only one meter further apart.

_ "T-that's not true. Stop messing with my brain!" _Danny yelled, firing another sloppy shot meant to hurt the older halfa but travelled to his right, hitting the antique chair. The man didn't flinch and took one last step, grinning at the younger halfa. He knew that what he had said was true but Daniel just didn't want to believe it.

"I'm not messing with your brain _ little badger. _ You know how much I care for you. However, I couldn't just let you continue life without knowing about this first so that when the time comes, you don't get hurt. _ Life is harsh_, and was pretty harsh to me ever since the accident," the man said before taking a glance at the little boy in front of him. Oh, how deeply he wanted him by his side, to be his apprentice, and maybe, _ maybe _his son. But the teenager was too stubborn!

_ "I-I'll expose you!" _

"With what proof?! How would anyone believe that billionaire, Vlad Masters, being a half-ghost super-villain who fights the ghost boy day and night? Tell me, who would? Certainly _not _your father, " the man muttered, annoyed by the weak threat the boy used against him.

_ "..." _

"I'll wait till five today to get a call with the decision you made. You have my phone number. When you don't call, I'm guessing you want to do it _the hard way _and I'll go live on the News Channel at six. Your life depends on you, _ Daniel, _" The man said as he inched closer and placed a hand on his head, causing him to flinch. However, he didn't make an effort to move back, still processing the information he was given.

_ "W-why are you doing this to me, Vlad? Can't we make a deal? I leave you alone and you leave me alone? Why do you always make things so _**_complicated?_ ** _ " _The young halfa yelled, furious by the man's actions as the man lifted off his hand, only to place it on his shoulder. The man dropped to his left knee, looking at the boy's pale blue eyes.

"I'm afraid I cannot, Daniel. I'm giving you time to think about this, _ alone_. After all, it's a lot to take in for one day. I'm surprised that thought never crossed your head," the man chuckled as Danny shook the man's hand from him, disgusted that he let him take advantage of the situation. He wouldn't let his enemy see the satisfaction of seeing him break in front of him. However, Danny couldn't help but believe the man's words. Why did it sound so... **true?**

"Goodbye... Vlad," the young boy murmured, not having the energy to fight the older halfa today. All he wanted to do was go to bed and think this through. To make things worse, he had class after this, science to be exact, and he knew he would be barely focusing in class.

The older halfa sighed, seeing the teenage boy take off, leaving him alone in the room. He truly wanted the boy beside him, someone who was like him. But he knew Daniel was stubborn and would be hard to obtain. He just had to break through it.

However, the older halfa was convinced that Daniel would come running to him today, if not, tomorrow when the news has reached all over the world.

Yes, he would come. He would stay here. His plan had to work. They worked on other people so why wouldn't it work on a ** _fourteen-year-old teenage boy?_ **

_ Maybe because he was special. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Due to how long this story was, I decided to split it in half. I'm still working on the second chapter but rest assured, it will be continued on the following chapter soon :)
> 
> Word Count: 8 466


	4. Vlad's Plan (P.2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny is being threatened by Vlad to either give up and join his side or have his identity be revealed. What will he do now? Is there any solution to this mess?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Longer than the last chapter, sorry!
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. I simply only own the plots.
> 
> Before you proceed, the reason why I have been updating so fast is that I already had these chapters ready, but after this will be slow updates. There's also an important note at the end!!

The moment Danny left Vlad's office, his friends quickly scurried after him, ready to throw all sorts of questions at him. But before they could utter a word, Danny held his right hand up, signalling them not to say anything at the moment.

His friends were confused at first, and when they noticed the weird expression their friend was wearing, their worry increased. They were afraid something... bad had happened between the two halfas. Sure Danny was already nervous before they talked with Vlad, but now he looked perplexed, his mind off and thinking about something. The look on his face wasn't relaxing one bit.

Sam and Tucker reminded themselves to ask him about the events after school so that the boy had time to think. They knew Danny wouldn't say anything if they asked him now so they left it for later. Danny liked to think on things alone and make a decision before asking other people for their opinion.

When the trio finally arrived at school, they realized they were seven minutes late, and they all shared the same class this period. Having them walk in together would be too suspicious so Danny told his friends to go, informing them he needed to go to the washroom. That was only partly a lie. He needed to wash his hands from the meal they just ate in the specter speeder, considering jam did stick together.

The  _ real _ reason he decided to take a bathroom break was to clear his brain off of things. Like what had happened between him and Vlad, only twenty-five minutes ago. Danny didn't know why he was feeling worried or why he tensed every time he remembered Vlad's words. So what if everybody knew his secret? Wouldn't that be a good thing? Wouldn't people like him more knowing their hero was also a human, like them? Knowing a fourteen-year-old teenage boy was protecting their town day and night? Shouldn't he feel... good?

_ ... _

Danny wasn't so sure of himself now. Somehow, the older halfa's sick messages managed to stick themselves in his head, not wanting to come out. Danny was now irritated, ready to take out his anger on the first ghost that showed up, especially the box ghost. He wanted nothing more than to go back to the man's house and blast him a shot or two to let out the worry inside of him. He was**_ really_** tired of letting Vlad mess with his brain. He knew Vlad was saying all of those things just to threaten him and get him on his side. He couldn't fall for this. He _wouldn't_ fall for this, like every other scheme Vlad managed to plan. It wasn't any different now, so why did he feel so hopeless this time?

But Danny knew that somewhere near those lines, lies the truth. He knew the guys in white wouldn't stop  _ till _ they hunted down the ghost and took him in for questioning and experiments. He knew that  _ even _ if he was a hero, the guys in white would try to find a way to pin something ghostly on him and have the whole town turn on him.

He also knew his parents hated ghosts with all their might. They even wanted to uphold the family tradition to their kids, meaning Danny had to hunt  _ himself _ down. But would they seriously hate him? When they find out, would they embrace him or rip him apart molecule by molecule? Or was that too much thinking?

Danny didn't want to admit that Vlad was right. He just couldn't, meaning, he didn't want Vlad to win this time. He can't just go, believing every word his arch-enemy said. Vlad wanted nothing more than for him to be his evil apprentice.  **To be his perfect half-ghost son.** It was just one of those manipulative schemes.

And Danny knew that would never happen, especially after **Dan**. Vlad's mansion was where his evil self lied, meaning if he went there, he would surely turn _evil, _no doubt. And Danny couldn't allow himself for that to happen, **_ever_** _again_. It was too risky and _dangerous_.

He quickly shoved the unwanted thoughts from his head, not wanting to think about the evil future he was about to have  _ if _ Clockwork hadn't come to save him at the right time. He instead, brought his focus back to the main mental crisis he was having.

There was  _ no way  _ he would join Vlad and nothing was going to change his mind. He wouldn't abandon his family and friends for someone who thought nothing of him other than an expensive object, a prize needed to be claimed. He wouldn't sell himself like that. He didn't think that dirty of himself. Sure his self-esteem was below the ground, but it didn't reach the point where he would sell himself for someone that never really liked him. It was  _ wrong _ on so many levels.

But he didn't know what else to do. He felt extremely hopeless in the situation like there was no solution to the misery he was dealing with. He wanted nothing more than to sleep and never wake up, afraid to be faced with the cruelty of reality. It felt like it was hitting him in the face each time.

But what Danny feared the most was what would happen when Vlad reveals his secret the following evening. If he didn't go, Danny  _ knew _ Vlad was going to tell everyone with no hesitation whatsoever, knowing the man didn't have feelings to reconsider his actions. He knew that the man always kept his word, which meant he was serious when he said he would. Last night's news incident was all the proof he needed and Danny didn't need to think twice at that thought.

Should he take the risk? Should he just leave for Vlad? I mean, it was not like he would submit to him on his time there, right? There, nobody would know his secret nor suspect that  _ Danny Fenton _ was the one and only hero,  _ Danny Phantom _ . He wouldn't have to live in fear of being exposed by the media or his curious classmates. He wouldn't need to worry about the guys in white chasing him every chance they can get, meaning no painful experiments. He wouldn't need to worry about one of his parent's inventions hurting him in every way possible.

_ But _ that meant abandoning his city, Amity Park. He wasn't going to leave the town he was raised in, let alone, his family and friends for something silly as that. Even if what Vlad said about his family was true, he  _ couldn't _ abandon his duty of keeping his town safe from ghosts such as Skulker, for his selfish reasons.  _ He wouldn't allow it _ . He'll live in guilt and despair his whole life and one thing Danny knew he hated was the feeling of being responsible for something. He hated that feeling as it made him feel weak.

_ But then _ , where would he live? Who would his family be now? Who would take care of him, send him to school, tell him they loved him every morning? Would he be able to experience love again aside from his friends and sister? Would he even be able to meet his friends and sister if he was being chased around the whole time?

And the most important question is,

**Would his parents still love him despite him being a freak?**

* * *

The rest of the day at school was a blur. He got a detention slip because he was seventeen minutes late after lunch. He also got stuffed into a locker by Dash because his attitude towards him was 'petty'. And his friends wouldn't stop looking at him, debating on whether it be the perfect time to ask about the talk he had with Plasmius. The look on their faces was undeniable. They were worried.

However, Danny had bigger problems than just school and bullies. He still didn't know what to reply with, regarding the offer the older halfa had explained to him. Although Danny knew he could never live with him without wanting to blast his face every minute that passed, that didn't leave him any other option. If they found out his secret, he was doomed and he would have to live with Vlad either way. At least in Wisconsin, he was known as a stranger. So it was better to just go with the first option, meaning his parents wouldn't chase him and there would be less chaos.

Danny first decided to tell his friends about his decision, knowing he needed lots of advice and opinions in this situation.  _ He also knew they wouldn't take his decision too well. _

"You're  _ what?! _ " Tucker exclaimed, not believing a single word of what Danny was saying to him while Sam just stood there shocked, trying to figure out if this were some sort of prank.

"Danny, you can't be serious! I can't believe you even had such thoughts! Can't you see?  _ Vlad is manipulating you! _ " she said, after a couple of minutes after realizing her friend was indeed serious about his crazy decision. She didn't even bother masking the hurt lying on her face, knowing too well that Danny mattered to her  _ a lot _ . She just couldn't believe Danny would seriously consider Vlad's offer, after all the pain he's put him through. Why was Vlad so intent of having Danny by his side anyway?  _ Why can't he let go of him? _

"Yeah, man! What happened to 'I'll never join you fruitloop!' or the part where you vowed to take care of Amity Park even under harsh circumstances? That's not even the important part. When you leave, you're leaving _Danny Fenton_ **and** _Danny Phantom_ behind," his male friend stated sadly, as Danny looked away, not wanting to see the hurt look on both of his friends' faces. If he did, he would just break down right in front of them, and that was the last thing Danny wanted right now. He knew that his decision was wrong, but he was just so confused...

"I-I'm sorry I can't!" Danny stuttered, holding back a couple of tears as he leaned on the wall of his room, trying to look at anything but them. He couldn't bear to see the disappointment in their eyes. It was too much. He wouldn't let them see him in such a pathetic state.

Danny decided to tell them after school, knowing they may not take it well during school and start some sort of unnecessary drama between the students. After all, Casper High was a boring place and nothing interesting ever happened, excluding the ghost attacks and Danny Phantom. It was currently four o'clock, one hour away before calling Vlad and telling him his final decision.

"Danny, you're stronger than this. I know it, Tucker knows it, everyone else knows it! Whether you're Danny Fenton or Danny Phantom, you know  _ damn _ well you  **do not** submit to anyone,  _ especially _ an enemy like Vlad Plasmius. He  _ knows _ you wouldn't join him no matter what and used this as an advantage to get you to believe him and surrender. You heard him yourself, he said he planned this for weeks! Do you know how long that must've taken? He had this already planned out, expecting your every move and knowing how to reply to them. He used your family as your weakness to hit you low," Sam explained, holding tight onto Danny's shoulders. Although Danny refused to look at her in the eye, he knew that what she was saying was right. Vlad planned this like every other of his schemes. What made this plan somewhat different than the others he tried to trick him into? He  _ tried. _ That means he  _ never _ fell into them. And something was telling him he wouldn't fall for it this time either.

"He knew you loved your family dearly and that's the main reason why you aren't by his side this very moment. He was expecting all of this and you managed to fall right into it. But it's not too late to get up. He now suspects that you're in pain, that you'll give in, but you've got to show him that he can never mess with you, Danny. He thinks that he's finally managed to mess up your brain-  _ heck _ , he even managed to bring  **Valerie** into this! You know, if Valerie knew Danny Phantom was you, she would stop hunting you. She still has a crush on you and would  _ never _ hurt you on purpose. Don't even try to deny it," Tucker said, crouching next to Sam as they faced their half-ghost friend. They were eager to receive a response from him as the silence was killing them.

"I guess you're right," Danny murmured as he closed his eyes, thinking this through. Now that he was somewhere quiet, he managed to focus on the situation at hand. He closed his eyes and processed Vlad's words in, deciding whether or not each one made sense.

Danny knew he was going on the wrong path. He would  _ never _ join Vlad, even if his parents indeed hated him and kicked him out of his house. That fruitloop would surely drive him insane to the point where he forgets how to speak! Showing up at his mansion would just show that he was weak and pathetic, how he couldn't take care of himself. He didn't need anyone to protect him, so why did he need someone now? He could deal with stuff like this alone. He never needed Vlad, so why did he need him now? What made this situation different from the others? Absolutely nothing! Just another,  _ villainous _ , scheme.

If he left his family now, they would surely be heartbroken. Why would their only son leave suddenly with no explanation? He could already feel the guilt as they mourn his loss, knowing they lost someone close to them for fourteen years. He couldn't do this to his family just for his selfish reasons. He just  _ couldn't _ . It didn't feel right.

"What would Jazz say if she heard you say that?" Sam finally whispered as that quickly perked the teenager's attention. The mention of his sister was enough to drive him in hysterics. Oh, why hadn't he thought of that before? What was he doing? He couldn't just leave his sister, betraying her by going to live with their enemy! She would never speak to him again! She was the only family member to fully understand what he was going through! His leaving was wrong on so many levels.

He missed her a lot and needed her. She was his older sister and she always reminded him she would be there everywhere he went, guiding him to the light. She promised to never leave him alone and yet here he was, breaking that promise. How could he arrive at such a decision without his sister's opinion first?

As if on cue, his cell phone started ringing, a Dumpty Humpty tune playing. If it weren't for the current circumstances, the trio would've blasted the song on a higher volume and enjoyed the good taste in music. However, nobody bothered to smile, or even acknowledge the music being played. Before his friends could say anything regarding the phone call, Danny quickly picked up his phone, not reading who it was.

"Hello there, Daniel," a familiar voice answered, the calm voice irritating the teen to the point where he planned to just hang up the phone on him. Danny frowned at the nickname the man had for him but he forced himself to ignore it and put the phone on speaker so his friends can hear the person on the other line. He was still curious as to why the man was calling him, especially now after they talked only a couple of hours ago.

"What do you want, Vlad?" The half-ghost boy snarled in distaste, not in the mood to talk to  _ anyone _ at the moment.

"What, no snarky remark today?" The man responded back immediately, grinning at the odd boy's behaviour. Of course, he knew why the boy was all gloomy, but he was so used to his witty banter all the time that it just sounded weird to hear him like that.

"I don't have time,  **Plasmius** . You either tell me what you want and get it over with,  _ or _ I hang up. And let me tell you, I'm not responding to any of your phone calls after that," the boy threatened, fed up with putting up with the older halfa's personality. Having to talk to him for one day was enough, now he had to listen to him again? Today was turning out to be the  **worst day ever.**

"Ah, here's that short temper of yours. My boy, you should really just relax, I didn't come here to start a fight," the man said, amused. He didn't know why, but he just enjoyed the boy's personality, even when it was meant to scare him off. He found it  _ way _ too amusing.

_ That's a surprise, _ the boy thought dryly, tempting himself from saying it out loud. The least he wanted right now was another boring lecture from the man. He just wanted him to say what he wanted! What was taking him so long? It's as if the man enjoyed seeing him irritated all the time.

** _Wait_ ** _ , how does he know my phone number- _

"Okay fine, here I'll save you from the trouble and tell you why I called you. I personalized a ride for you that will wait from five to five-thirty. My pilot will pick you up and drop you off at my mansion in Wisconsin. Oh- and don't worry, you're not being thrown off again, I told him  _ not _ to hurt you. Don't be late, you know how strict I am about punctuality," before the boy could hotly reply at the man's explanation, he quickly hung up, knowing too well the boy would just argue back for another hour.

"How's he so sure I'm coming?!" the teen exclaimed, earning surprised glances from his friends, not believing what their friend had just said. He shut his phone up with so much force that one can see it's on the verge of cracking into small pieces. The man's words even made Danny now want to disobey him even more. Who did he think he was manipulating his mind? Why did he think that he would go to him like a lost puppy with no owner? Did Vlad really think that Danny was  _ that _ pathetic, that he would sell himself to the man just like that? Wasn't he aware of how stubborn he can get?  _ Apparently not. _

"Well, at least we have our answer now," Tucker said to brighten up the atmosphere, breaking the silence as Danny rolled his eyes. His friends were sure relieved that Danny wasn't thinking of leaving them anymore, though they knew he wouldn't have. Danny was strong and they knew from previous fights that he never let his guard down, even when the situation seemed hopeless. He always managed to find a way to get back up and try again and again. He always does, even with Dan, his own self.

But Vlad's words must've hurt him deeply if Danny was willing to join him. They knew that his family and friends were his weak spot and that if anything would happen to them, he would only blame himself for not protecting them. Vlad knew his weaknesses and decided to hit them, affecting his mind completely. However, they would make sure they never left the boy alone with the man again. They knew how dangerous Vlad was and how deep his words could affect someone. Even if that 'someone' was Danny.

They now vowed to never let Vlad speak with the young halfa anymore. And if he somehow managed to, they would be there to make sure that the man didn't hurt Danny, both mentally or physically. No matter how strong and brave he was, hero's weren't perfect, and they certainly were afraid of something.

"If Jazz was here, however, she wouldn't have let you go see Vlad, nevertheless, talk with him alone," Sam stated as Danny chuckled, knowing that was what Jazz would've done. She was too protective of him sometimes, but he loved her for that. He was glad that she knew his ghost secret. It made the tension lower and gave him hope that his family  _ might _ accept him.

The phone rang again, breaking the boy from his thoughts. He frowned, hoping it was not the older halfa again, mocking him with the fact he's gonna live with him. He couldn't bear to hear his voice again, let alone see him. It was already disturbing the fact that he had his phone number when he didn't even give it to him.

_ Is he ever gonna stop calling me? I'm starting to think he is doing this on purpose _ , the boy thought dryly before unlocking his phone again. If it's him, he was definitely going to block him. But what happened next shocked him. His breathing hitched when he realized who the caller was. The temperature of the room ironically became colder that Danny could see his breath right now. One would have mistaken it for his ghost sense!

"It's Jazz.," Danny whispered in panic, his voice barely noticeable but his friends heard him just right. To say they were shocked is an understatement. Might as well add the drool hanging from their mouths as they gaped at the boy.

"I-I swear I didn't know about this!" their goth friend stuttered, not believing who was calling. She was just talking about her right now! It's as if Jazz heard them from the other side of the room.

"Do you think...?" the techno-geek started, referring to the situation they were in. Was she aware of the news that was aired yesterday? Did she know that Danny and his friends went to visit Vlad just a couple of hours ago? Did she know what Danny decided to do minutes ago?

"Of course not! How would she know? She's not some sort of stalker, like  _ that fruitloop _ !" Danny exclaimed defensively, knowing too well his friends wouldn't tell his sister what happened nor would he himself. His parents were too busy with ghosts and he doubted her school friends would have anything related to the matter. So how could she know?

But maybe he was just overreacting. It could be a coincidence she would be calling him today, at this time. Maybe she just wants to check up on him or that she's confirming her return on Monday. It would be nothing related to the problem he and his friends are facing. So why was he so worried?

"Well, we're making her more suspicious by not responding. Pick up!" Tucker said encouragingly as Danny sighed, and took a deep breath before clicking the accept button and putting it on speaker so his friends can hear the conversation going on.

"Calm down," Sam whispered nervously, knowing too well Jazz would surely uncover what's going on just by Danny's worried voice. She could tell the lies by just hearing one word off her brother's mouth.

"Hello?" a familiar voice responded, breaking the silence as Danny finally calmed down and pressed the phone near his ears, reminding himself to forget what just happened the past twenty-four hours. If he wanted to avoid his sister's worried questions, he would have to maintain a casual conversation without revealing anything unusual. I mean, how  _ hard _ can it be?

_ Apparently, _ ** _ a lot_ ** _ . _

"Hey Jazz- so what's up? School fine?-no wait, campus? We were just talking about you, heh," Danny quickly responded back, both of his friends slapping their faces in disappointment. They knew Danny wouldn't calm down even if his life depended on it.

_ Smooth Fenton, _ Danny said mentally to himself as he closed his eyes, hoping Jazz didn't suspect anything unusual by his last sentence. The least he needed right now was his overprotective sister lecturing him about the dangers of keeping stuff away from your family members or how visiting Vlad could affect a person's mental state of mind. Not that she was wrong.

"Fine, I guess. How are  _ you _ ?" his sister casually said, causing Danny to raise a brow at the eerie calmness of her voice. Did she notice anything yet? Or was she waiting for the right moment to shoot up her worried questions? I mean, his voice basically gave it away, Jazz can't be that oblivious. She obviously knew something was up.

"Oh, I'm great! We just went to the movies actually and watched one of Sam's favourite horror movies, it was called uh-" he looked as his goth friend, waiting for a reasonable answer. But to his horror, his friend instead just shot him a worried glance, clearly not coming up with anything. "Oh uh I forgot actually, but it was very good and I enjoyed it- a lot. You know, it helps with the stress of school, and um  _ stuff _ . Nothing interesting happened in the past few days if that's what you were asking, heh and yeah uh...erm yeah."

His friends were on the urge of breaking the chair they were sitting on. They couldn't believe what their ghost friend had just said. Jazz ** had** to have suspected something by now or she was definitely a Fenton.

"Mhm sounds good. I bet Sam enjoyed it knowing she probably dragged you guys. Anyway, I was meaning to ask you something regarding yesterday but I was too tired to call you. You know, the tour we had was tiring and I couldn't even read my favourite book that night," Jazz said, going into casual conversation, as Danny's heart started beating fast, ready to burst out of his chest if she said one more word. She couldn't have referred to the news yesterday, would she? I mean, why would she check up the news, Amity Park was a small town and none of the other states paid any attention to it.

"Ahh well I hate to say this but I have- um, karate lessons with Sam and Tucker and we can't be late, you know? Tell me about it tomorrow, or in one week- or just never! Ha, ha, I feel like in a joking mood today," Danny quickly said, as his friends rolled their eyes.  _ Who would believe  _ ** _that?_ **

"Danny, you don't take karate, nor any other sport actually. And it's Friday, meaning you watch a movie in the evening, not right after school," his sister corrected, earning nervous glances by his friends. Danny looked at them pleadingly, hoping one of them would come up with a good excuse to save themselves. But it looked like no one had the right comment and they just sat in silence, not one of them daring to breathe.

Jazz stared at her phone, shaking her head in amusement. Danny was  _ too _ predictable and if it weren't for the situation, she would've laughed for how obvious he made his voice sound. Even if you were a complete moron, you would've told that something was wrong by the nervousness of Danny's voice. It was clear as the moon in an open field at night.

Jazz took the silence as some sort of 'we've been discovered' scene and turned back to her phone, ready to reply back to them from what was bothering her for the past hour. It was currently twelve thirty am from where she was living and she badly wanted to call him but she was busy all afternoon. She wanted to know how things were going for him before anything else happened.

"I see. The news must've messed you up that bad, huh?" she said, as Danny jolted in surprise, not knowing how to respond to such comments. So she knew. Of course, she knew, what was he thinking? How could he lie about something like that to his sister? I mean, nobody else knew of his secret except his two friends because they were there when the accident happened, and yet, she was the only one who managed to uncover it.

_ "I-" _

"Danny, you know I'm always here for you, right? Don't let the news affect you too much. I know you too well that you must've had a panic attack when your friends told you.  _ Am I correct? _ No wait, don't answer that, I need to finish. I'm currently in the airport, ready for my plane to take off in a couple of hours. Once I knew about it, I quickly booked the quickest route back to Amity Park. If this 'mystery person' or Vlad, was going to reveal your secret today, I want to be here for you along with your two friends."

_ "What, but how?!-" _

"Danny, you know I'm not dumb to have figured out Vlad would attempt such a plan. I'm surprised you haven't uncovered it by now, it's quite obvious. Who better make our life hell other than Vlad Plasmius himself? Now, don't try to change my mind about staying here 'cause I'm not going back. I had two days left anyway, it wouldn't have made such a big difference."

Danny couldn't believe what his sister was saying. Did she leave the open house of her favourite college to just go back and be there for him? Who's sister would do that? He couldn't help but smile in happiness and if it weren't for the current situation, he would've laughed and talked more with her. He was overwhelmed with care and guilt. His sister cared that much for him.

"I- Jazz, you don't know how much that means to me," he finally said, not knowing what else to say. He could tell that his friends were sharing the same expression, now wishing they had an older sibling.

"I know, little brother. But don't think you're off the hook that easily, you've got a lot of explaining to do," his sister said seriously, knowing there was much more to the story. Danny opened his mouth to deny that something else had happened but then stopped when he saw his friends looking at him in disagreement. That made him want to think more about it. Should he tell Jazz of what happened between Vlad a couple of hours ago? Is it wise to tell her, knowing she'll freak out even more? Even though she was calm, he knew that it was just a cover to her freaked out demeanour. She was clearly worried about him and that made Danny want to continue with what he was about to say.

"Actually Jazz, nothing else really happened. But how did you know about the news?" he quickly said, avoiding her protest with a question. Jazz pursed her lips, knowing he was doing it on purpose and that something else has indeed happened. She didn't know what was troubling her brother so much, but she had a feeling it had something to do with Vlad.

"Yeah, you expect me to believe that after your skittish reply to me the moment you picked up your phone? I'm not dumb Danny, you of all people should know that" she soberly said, knowing her brother was lying. He may be a good liar to his parents, his school and possibly the whole world, but he wasn't fooling her.

"God Jazz, why are you so paranoid!? I told you I'm fine, nothing else happened, jeez!" Danny exclaimed, not caring anymore about keeping his anger to himself. From the uncomfortable silence that overtook on the other line, he knew that he had hurt his sibling. He instantly felt bad, knowing he shouldn't have lashed out on Jazz. It wasn't her fault. He was just too mad to care anymore and took it out on his sibling instead.

His friends remained silent the whole time, even considering leaving the room alone so the two can have their private conversation alone. They even considered doing the happy 'I'm glad I'm an only child' dance once out but they decided against it.

"I- ugh Jazz, I'm so sorry. I'm just so... upset. I want to tell you but you'll get freaked out and that's the least I want to do. You've already ruined your trip by coming back home and I don't want to cause you any pain," the half-ghost teen trailed off, completely lost at words.

"Danny, you know that I care for you, right? It must've been something serious that you're so eager to keep away from me. But Danny, you need to tell me this. Let me help you, I promise I'll listen. As for my trip, I told you,  _ it's fine _ . I only missed two days, we weren't gonna do something interesting anyway," his sister explained, growing impatient by the second. She wanted to know what caused her brother this much grief, even though she already had the answer to it.

"Ugh fine. But don't interrupt me. It's not exactly easy to tell you this,  _ or anyone _ , especially on the line," the teen said, finally giving up. He didn't want to tell his sister this and cause her more guilt but she was going to know anyway when she comes home tomorrow. It wasn't exactly easy to hide something like this from her. Almost impossible.

His friends took this as a cue to leave, knowing the two needed their space. Danny was going to tell her this and by the look on his face, he was going to experience trouble. The least they can do is ease up the tension and leave, so it's only one person. Plus, they already knew the story and they didn't need to hear it from him again. It would already cause them unnecessary pain.

Danny was internally  _ relieved _ when his friends left, closing the door behind him. His sister decided to end their call and facetime him on his laptop instead, placed on his desk. Although Danny was reluctant about the idea, saying he didn't want her to see his face when he told her this, she replied saying it was important to talk face to face and went into lecture concerning her psychology facts. She said it gave off the feeling that she was near him and sitting right in front of him right now. And for once, Danny agreed.

"Promise me you won't get mad? " the boy hesitantly asked, his voice not so confident anymore now that he was seated in front of his laptop, his sister facing him soberly. Although he felt somewhat happy to see his sister's face again, he was still unenthusiastic at the prospect of having his sister stared at him the whole time he was talking. He didn't want to break down in the middle and face the embarrassment of his sister comforting him. He wouldn't hear the end of it.

"I promise, little brother. Now get on with it, I'm getting tired of just looking at your distraught face the whole time. I'm starting to think you're just buying time," his sister playfully glared, earning an uneasy chuckle from the teenage boy.

_ Ah well here goes nothing _

* * *

"Oh, Vlad's so going down.  _ What the heck is wrong with him? _ Oh, wait,  **everything!** I never thought he would stoop down to that level," Jazz yelled furiously, not mad at her brother nor Vlad even, but at herself. If she was here before, she would've never let Danny go visit Vlad, let alone, have him talk with him without her by his side.

"Oh I'm about to have one talk with him," the angered girl growled, knowing full well Vlad wouldn't leave her brother alone. To say she was angry would be an understatement. She was furious, her turquoise eyes fuming at nothing in particular.

"Hey Jazz, I'm fine, see? I'm okay and everybody else is," the teenage boy comforted her, hoping his sister would calm down. But it didn't look like she would rest anytime soon.

"Did... D-did you consider his offer?" his sister hesitantly asked, her voice still mad but fearful at the same time. Vlad wouldn't have manipulated Danny, would he? I mean, it didn't look like Danny had thought about it.

However, the silence from the other line and his troubled expression was all the confirmation she needed to confirm her thoughts. She couldn't believe Danny had actually thought of leaving her and everyone else in Amity Park! Vlad using his weakness is just so low of him!

"I can't believe you thought like that!" Jazz exclaimed, still mad as Danny reverted his eyes away from the screen. He had a light blush colouring his cheeks from shame and guilt.

"I'm not leaving anymore!" he quickly defended himself, ignoring the guilt that's been pounding in his heart. He knew that his decision was wrong but he wasn't thinking straight and his mind was overwhelmed by several emotions at the same time.

"But you were gonna if Sam and Tucker haven't talked you through! Why would you do that to yourself? Danny, I've told you many times that I'll always be there for you, even when situations are hard, " his sister yelled.

_ "But-" _

_ Why did everyone keep interrupting him today? _

"No, you listen well here Danny. Our parents  ** _love_ ** you.  _ Do you hear me? _ They love you and you can't deny it. Whether you're human or ghost or some other creature, they will continue to love and care for you.  _ Never _ think otherwise. Vlad wants you to think that he's the only one who can understand you, that you're all alone in this world and have no one to turn to. He's playing with your mind, predicting your every move. Take this from someone who's studied psychology for a long time. You said it yourself, I'm  _ always _ right. Maybe not on  _ everything _ but this, I am. You're never alone Danny and you can rest assured that I'll continue to keep you safe and sound," his sister finally said, letting it all out. When she finally finished her rant, Danny could only stare at her in shock while the atmosphere quickly got awkward. Neither said a word after that.

"I, um wow. Thanks, Jazz but you should know that I'm not leaving you. I'll never betray my parents for someone who's been trying to hurt me for months. Even if Sam and Tucker hadn't talked me through this, I would have realized sooner or later I was making the wrong choice. You can count on it, " he finally said as his sister smiled appreciatively. She knew Danny wouldn't attempt to leave them but she just couldn't stop herself. The thought of her brother living with their enemy was enough to drive her crazy.

"And about Valerie and the guys in white, don't worry about them one bit. I'm sure Valerie will feel anything but hate. In fact, I think she will be guilty and even try to apologize to you for all the other times she tried to hurt you. And the guys in white have barely caught you before, what makes it so different now that you have revealed your identity? They mess up every time, they're horrible ghost hunters! You know, they can't do anything since you have fans all over the world and if they knew about that, let's just say those men will go out of business," his sister informed him, earning a relieved smile from Danny. Even though he knew about what his sister said before, it still felt better to hear someone else reassure him.

"I know, I know. I just can't help but worry a bit, you know?" the boy admitted, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as his sister narrowed her eyes at his comment.

" _ A bit? _ I think you meant a whole ton. Little brother, you worry  _ a lot, _ " his sister snorted earning a light glare from her brother. So what if he panicked a bit? His situation was completely understandable and any other person would've reacted the same.

"Anyway, I've got to go on board my plane. See you in a couple of hours, hero," his sister said, hanging up before he said anything else. He smiled a bit at the nickname his sister gave him, and his smile grew wider knowing he will see her soon.

_ 5: 17 pm _

But for now, he was all alone in this. Vlad would notice he didn't decide to come and he'll reveal his secret. He's already seventeen minutes late and knowing Vlad, he would know that Danny arrived at a conclusion.

He was  _ not _ going  **anywhere** ,  _ especially _ that fruitloop's house.

* * *

The lonely businessman was now in his private study, walking around in circles nervously. He knew his plan had to work so why did he feel a constant nag, telling him that Daniel wouldn't show up? After all, the boy was smart and knew the best choice would be to come here before he reveals his secret. He planned to keep his secret  _ if _ the boy showed up but when he didn't, Daniel shouldn't act so surprised the next day when he finds swarming fans all over him.

Vlad chuckled, imagining the scenario. The idea of him revealing Daniel's secret would be quite comical, knowing he wouldn't be left alone for  _ one  _ minute. Although, he wished he didn't have to  _ if  _ the boy decided to make the best choice. After all, what was there to dislike?

He would train the boy, help him with his powers so he grows into a strong man. He got his powers when he was in college but the boy was only fourteen when he got his. Surely, he needed some guidance and Vlad knew he was the right person to go to.

He could also offer the boy everything he wanted, knowing he was richer than any other man in the world. He could buy a country with the amount of money he had! He would give the boy anything he desired from clothes to food, video games and all sorts of stuff teenagers love nowadays. How  _ could _ he reject such an offer?

Oh, how he wanted to get his revenge on the fat oaf! It was his fault he didn't have the perfect family! He wanted nothing more than to destroy the man responsible for his misery. He just wished he could, then maybe, Maddie would join him along with her son, Daniel. He would be their family! He wouldn't even mind if Jasmine joined too, knowing she was quite intelligent and mature.

Wouldn't  _ he _ be a better husband and father? But how was he supposed to prove to the boy and Maddie he was better than Jack? The boy saw him as nothing more than an enemy!

But Vlad knew he shouldn't care about the problem right now. After Daniel lives with him for a couple of weeks, the tension will ease and he'll soon see him as some sort of guardian, or maybe even...father. It was only a matter of time. For now, he should just wait for the helicopter to land right in front of his mansion and greet Daniel. First impressions are important.

And as if on cue, Vlad heard the sound of the engine coming to a stop, right outside his window. He looked out eagerly, grinning when he saw the helicopter finally land safely. It was late but he didn't care. Daniel was here and that was all that mattered. Of course, he reminded himself to give the boy etiquette classes. Punctuality is also important.

He looked at his expensive watch, realizing it was 5:56 pm. That meant that he was supposed to go live in the news broadcast, in four minutes. However, he decided to call the news reporter and cancel the plans he intentionally had. Daniel had decided to come here willingly and therefore, there was no need to reveal the boy's secret.

But the man frowned, realizing only his pilot, Jim, had exited, no sign of bags. However, he brushed the idea aside, thinking Daniel just didn't want to get out soon and maybe he had only one bag carried with him. The boy was stubborn and he knew he wouldn't swallow his pride.

The man decided to greet the boy, in person, so he can remove the nagging feeling inside of him. It was annoying him by the second and although he was sure his plan had worked, he was still having second thoughts.

"Ah Jim, hope you had a good trip. Hm, where's the boy?" the man asked curiously, eager to talk to the younger halfa, after greeting the ghost. However, he received a look of amusement.

"He's one stubborn boy. He didn't show up and when I went to check up on him, there were no signs of him getting ready," the ghost replied, earning a growl from the man.

Of course, his plan had to fail once more. He was sure the boy had lost hope, even when he called him later on today, so what had stopped him? His friends must've talked some sense into him and erased his own words! But how? He made sure to carry on the plan when his sister wasn't present! What was he expecting? The boy always wanted to go the hard way, it was part of his nature. He wouldn't come here willingly so now it was time to take the plan a step further.

_ I'm sorry Daniel. But you leave me no choice, _ the man thought soberly but then was quickly replaced with a darkened look.

**You will come running to me Daniel. Count my words. I'm the only one who can possibly be able to understand you.**

"Hello, I would like to confirm the news show at six today. However I might be a bit late,"

* * *

"Hello everyone! I'm glad you all could join us today! And although we apologize for the tardiness, it's definitely worth it! I mean, we're all about to find out Danny Phantom's secret identity! How cool is  _ that? _ " a woman in her late thirties stated, wearing a matching red suit jacket and skirt. She was smiling excitedly at the camera, clearly not faking it.

"You look really excited there, but who can blame you? I know I am! Phantom surely does manage to hide his identity well, even when he has news reporters chasing after him every chance they get. He's good," the male reporter beside her said. But before the lady could reply back, the 'mystery person' entered, flashing a familiar arrogant smile although the rest of his face was hidden.

"Ah, and it looks like our guest of honour has arrived! I believe we haven't quite followed your name. Can you at least tell us what we should call you?" the male reporter asked curiously, gesturing to the seat beside him.

"Call me badger.  _ Mr. Badger _ ," the black hooded male replied, grinning at his own nickname. He knew if Danny was watching the news right, he surely wouldn't be pleased.

"Well, that certainty is a weird nickname but we're not here to discuss  _ that _ . Say,  _ Mr. Badger _ , you said you had news for us regarding Phantom, am I right?" the same female reporter asked, eager to find out the news.

"Getting excited, aren't we? Very well, I guess I should start since I've already taken up some time to get here. Please excuse my tardiness but what you're about to hear now will make up for it, I promise! Anyway, before I start, promise me you'll hear me out and let me prove my point before you disagree," the man warned as the two reporters nodded eagerly, not wasting any more time. After all, they've been waiting for this moment for a long time.

"Bring it on, Mr. Badger. We promise to not interrupt you, no matter how strange your predictions are. You look pretty serious about it," the male reporter stated, earning a nod in agreement by his fellow female reporter.

"Alright, let's begin. We already know that Phantom is a halfa, correct?" the man said as he earned two nods of agreement.

"Of course, it all ties perfectly! The Fenton's even confirmed it themselves saying a human could possess ghost powers. We're almost certain he's a halfa and that's why we brought you here," the female reporter said as the man nodded.

"Well, would you believe me that the person, or perhaps, the fourteen-year-old teenage boy you're looking for, is none other than Daniel Fenton?" The man said seriously as the audience got silent while the two reporters gaped at him. All they knew was that the boy was the son of the two famous ghost-hunters; Jack and Maddie Fenton. How can a half-ghost be living with two ghost-hunters who were off to get Phantom? It made zero sense!

_ "But-" _

"Nu-uh, you said you'll let me continue," the man said as he raised his left hand, cutting off the female reporter. "Danny Fenton. Danny  _ Phantom _ . How can any of you  _ not _ see the resemblance by both those names? They literally sound the same. And that's only the beginning of it!"

"And let's not start by stating the similarities of both the boys," the man continued, gesturing to the tech crew to set off the two pictures they received. "Phantom looks to be a teenage boy, around the ages thirteen to sixteen. Danny Fenton just so happens to be a fourteen-year-old with school problems because,  _ news flash _ , he hunts ghosts. Moreover, both teens don't look like they've hit puberty yet, meaning they're adolescents. Don't tell me you haven't noticed that? And let's not forget the shape of the face and body for both boys. The only thing different is the colour of the hair and eyes which he happens to change to whenever he turns himself into a ghost. Isn't it obvious?"

Not giving time for the reporters to reply, he continued.

"Anyhow, I don't want to spend too much time on this. I will manage to get  _ real _ proof of this in less than a week and put it live. For now, you can be certain that the ghost boy is none other than Danny Fenton. Haven't you ever wondered where he would get the Fenton thermos from? How did he magically sneak into the Fenton's without getting harmed? Last time I checked, they had a ghost barrier."

The two reporters were about to reply to the man's comment but he quickly got up and left, not bothering to pay attention to their surprised reaction. Of course, it would be astounding, but once they take time to think about it, they'll understand that they're both the same person.

"Well, that was uh- how would you say it? Unexpected.." the female reporter trailed off as the male reporter coughed, finally regaining his senses.

"I can fully agree. None of us were expecting  _ that _ . But let's not attack the poor boy just yet. As Mr. Badger said, he still needs to find more evidence to prove this theory, meaning we can't just go showing up at the Fenton's immediately," he said as the audience laughed and they quickly concluded the live news.

* * *

_ Well, now I know that he wasn't joking. Some twisted humour he has,  _ the half-ghost boy thought dryly, as he looked at the closed device his friend Sam had turned off. They were now in Danny's bedroom, watching the news on Tucker's PDA. Doing this with any of their parents would be too awkward and raise many questions. Danny still wanted time to process all of this. He knew his parents would barge in anytime soon. He was one hundred percent sure that they were watching the news, saying that's all they've been talking about the last couple of hours.

"Man, I'm actually surprised your parents didn't enter in the last five minutes," Tucker stated as Danny sighed, hoping they'd never come in and just brush off the news as some sort of rumour or hoax.

"Yeah, don't jinx it there Tucker," his goth friend replied, rolling her eyes at the comment. The last thing they wanted right now was for an argument to break out. "But seriously though, Tucker's right. What's taking them so long?"

"Probably looking for a scalpel to dissect me with," Danny muttered, burying his head using his two cold hands. By now, they were shaking and he couldn't do anything to stop them.

"Oh, come on. Look at the bright side! You're known as a hero to everyone now," his male friend stated.

"Yep. And I doubt my parents would do anything about it," his friend Sam said as Danny rolled his eyes.

"I think they're off to get a restraining order on me at this very moment," Danny mumbled as Sam sighed sadly. She knew her parents weren't fans of Danny, especially after that Freakshow incident. But she doubted they'd stop her from hanging out with him. Although, she never really listened to her parents. If Danny was right, however, she'll just figure out a way to please them and then they'll leave him alone. Even if that meant changing her Gothic wardrobe style for a week. She could take it.

"If it makes you feel any better, I don't think my parents will care!" Tucker soothingly said, trying to lighten up the atmosphere the current room was in.

"And you'll have Jazz," Sam mentioned. "I hate to say this but, she'll be the most useful out of both of us. She can get very protective of you and she'll never let anything hurt you, I know it."

_ "Thanks, guys-" _

"DANNY!" both his parents exclaimed, bursting through his bedroom door, or more specifically, breaking down his entire wall.

"And that's another innocent wall destroyed," his goth friend mumbled to herself as Danny and Tucker sighed, knowing it was the moment of truth.

Was he able to keep this a secret away from them now? I mean, they didn't believe the news, especially if it was from a sketchy man such as the one that was shown on the screen a moment ago. They wouldn't suspect that their son is a ghost, right? I mean, they are ghost-hunters! How could their  _ son _ be a  _ ghost _ ? It was just plain bizarre.

"Uh heh," was all Danny managed to blurt out as he looked down at his feet, hoping they wouldn't notice his nervousness. His friends had quickly left the moment his parents showed up, knowing they probably needed some family alone time. And they didn't think it was wise to get involved in family matters, especially as serious at the one that was going to happen.

"Oh,  _ Danny _ ..." his mother said softly before grabbing onto his shoulders and giving him a tight hug, kissing his left cheek continuously in progress. His father also managed to join in the group hug and was smiling out of happiness. He couldn't believe that his own son was a ghost hunter! He didn't know that any of his children were going to continue the family tradition, especially after lots of failed experiments and the fact that they couldn't catch a ghost even if it was living under the same roof as them. It was preposterous to even think such a way.

To say Danny was shocked would be an understatement. He had different emotions swirling through his eyes right now, the main ones being confusion, astonishment, and love. He was puzzled by the way his parents reacted. He even thought they wouldn't believe such stuff. If his own parents believed he was a ghost, imagine the rest of Amity Park!

He was also amazed by how his parents clearly looked like they accepted him. They were hugging and kissing him, showering him with caring comments and thoughts. They accepted him! They really did. And to think they would throw him out of the house and disown him was quickly pushed aside, knowing it was impossible they would do that to their own son. He felt so... _ loved _ .

"B-but aren't you mad?" the teenage boy quickly stuttered out, earning sad looks from both his parents. They were surprised by the sudden comment, as the boy hadn't said anything in the past five minutes. They were even starting to think he died, although that wasn't technically wrong.

"Well, of course, we are! You'd think that almost nine months have passed by and we still hadn't known our own son was a ghost, it is a big surprise. But we understand why you never told us," his mother explained, pinching one of his cheeks.

"And we spent the whole time blabbering about ghosts that we didn't know we were hurting your feelings at the same time! I would've never told my parents, in fact, I would've been terrified if I were you!" his father chuckled, patting his son's head.

"I-well, I guess I'm just glad you guys accepted me. It just feels like a big relief," Danny replied, giving his parents one last hug before pulling back. "But how did you know that what Vl-I mean,  _ Mr. Badger _ had said was true?" he asked, correcting himself in the middle.

"It all made perfect sense to us. Your father and I actually thought for a bit and just connected the dots together. The late nights, your grades slipping, not enough sleep, detention all the time- It was pretty obvious," his mother explained as Danny smiled in assurance but still felt nervous.

If that's how they connected the dots, then who knows how the rest of Amity Park did, especially those who personally know him in school. Hopefully, they're too dense to notice it. But maybe he was wrong. Maybe they did figure it out? How was he supposed to act in school, now that everyone knew his secret?

"Or maybe I'm wrong," the teenage boy muttered, walking down the halls of the school on a Monday morning. The weekend was a relief but unbearable at the same time. He and his friends were supposed to go to a fair that Sam had planned but he was too scared to leave his house. He didn't know how people in the streets would react to seeing him.

"Well, I guess you can rest assured that no one knows your secret for now  _ until _ Vlad finds a way," Sam finally said, patting Danny by the shoulder.

Jazz had shown up late at night, Saturday. The minute she entered the door, she gave her brother a tight hug, and he responded back. She missed him and he couldn't help but admit that he missed her too. Especially her protectiveness and a bossy attitude.

She was watching the news on the plane and was worried the whole time. She didn't even get to eat properly there, her mind just couldn't think for once. She knew their parents would accept Danny no matter who he was, but she was worried about the rest of the town. Danny didn't like attention so she hoped that the town would be oblivious and ignore the evident signs.

However, she was more worried about what Vlad planned to do next. The man was capable of everything, anytime, and she knew that he wouldn't stop till he had Danny and their mother by his side. Of course, she wouldn't allow it, but she still had a feeling Vlad would find a way to expose Danny's secret once and for all.

She didn't even know if that was good or bad anymore. I mean, it didn't seem that bad to her... Except for the fact he'll barely have any privacy. But the town seemed to like him, and she knew ghost-hunters wouldn't try hunting him anymore knowing he was also a human teenage boy. That would be a crime.

But Danny clearly didn't like it, so that meant she wasn't okay with it either. Anything that made her brother uncomfortable or upset in any shape or form, she was not okay with it. Even if it was something silly.

So Jazz was eager to hear the news from her brother the moment she returned home. She wanted to know every single detail she had missed and for once, she was glad there wasn't school the next day. The students had to have time to think about the whole situation before they could go jumping into insane conclusions.

And so on Monday, Danny dreadfully walked to school, his eyes filled with worry for the first time. He didn't know what his classmates would think. He knew every student loved Danny Phantom (except Valerie) but he didn't know what their reactions would be once they had proof that he was indeed Danny Phantom.

However, he soon sighed in relief when he walked into school, noticing everyone was paying attention to their own business and no one was giving him any weird stares. He even forced himself  _ not _ to cover his face with his shirt, knowing that would raise suspicion and have people question him.

His friends also stayed by his side, giving him comforting glances now and then. But for now, nobody was paying them any attention. It almost looked like the news was never revealed. Like it was just some bad dream.

Except for the suspecting glances he got when he entered the washroom to clear his face. They just stared at him, others whispering to their friends. The conversations they had were amusing but at the same time, caused Danny to worry more.

_ Could it be..? _

_ Of course not, he's a wimpy kid! _ Danny frowned at that comment. Oh well, as long as they don't suspect him then he'll just deal with being called a wimp. It can't be that bad.

_ But the clues are so obvious! _

_ Why don't you go ask him then if you're so sure? _

_ He'll deny it obviously! Don't you think Phantom would have already told us if he wanted his secret to be revealed? He clearly doesn't since he barely said anything after the news was released. _

_ Well, I think they're the same person. I mean, I can't be the only one who believes it, right? _

_ I second that. _

_ I third that. _

_ Well, I don't. And even if it was true, I don't care. Let the boy live, jeez. _

_ Whatever the reason is, I think we should just leave him alone. It looks like he wants to keep his secret identity so we'll let him have his privacy,  _ Danny was extremely thankful for the last comment. At least, some people understood. He just couldn't understand why everyone wanted to know Phantom's secret identity so badly. What good will it do? They're the same person after all!

Danny quickly left the restroom, wanting to be early for today's class for the first time in several months. If he came in early, there would be less suspicion and not raise theories on how he was fighting a ghost. He knew that would be the first one suspicious of him being Danny Phantom because he held him in for detention a lot.

Danny quickly entered the classroom, sighing in relief as he found out that there weren't many students present. He locked eyes with Sam, who was sitting at her usual seat as he walked towards her, taking his seat beside her desk. Sam wanted to say something but she didn't know what. What could she say? I'm sorry your secret has been revealed? That people are starting to suspect you more? That you should not raise suspicion?

Tucker wasn't in his classroom and Danny felt a bit sad. Tucker knew when to lift someone's mood, especially with his awful jokes. He honestly didn't care if the boy started blabbering about technology and such nonsense, it's just that his presence was comforting, it always has. They've been best friends since they were little and have always stuck up for each other.

The number of students started piling up, each one that passed either giving him a weird stare or gaping mouth. The rest just ignored him. He honestly never understood why people liked attention a lot. Personally, he thought no attention was the best attention he can get. If he was trapped in Danny Phantom his whole life, it would be miserable, he'll never find peace. And now that they were suspecting him, his chances of having a normal life was basically over.

"Ugh Sam, I don't know what to do! Why does  _ Plasmius _ always have to ruin something for me," Danny furiously whispered to his best friend, trying his best to have his voice remain calm but he was failing. His classmates were already turning around to see why Danny looked so panicked all of a sudden.

"As you said, he's a fruitloop. You should just 'lay low'" Sam stated, mocking his own words from the other time as he rolled his eyes, knowing she'll never drop it.

"I thought you said we should forget it?" Danny mumbled, frowning in the process as Sam chuckled, patting his head affectionately.

"Jeez, I was joking, grumpy pants. I know, I just wanted to have a bit of fun, y' know," his friend stated as he grinned a bit, but then it immediately turned into a frown. His ghost mist had taken off right now, and he hated it more than usual.

_ So much for laying low, _ Danny thought dryly, as his friend chuckled mentally, knowing what the boy was thinking of. She was surprised nobody else knew the blue mist coming out of the boy's mouth but she didn't question it. He was already suspicious.

Danny was about to leave the room when his teacher, Mr. Lancer, opened the classroom door, closing it behind him and turning to face the boy. The teacher looked at him skeptically, as if wondering why the boy suddenly wanted to leave. Could it be... _ a ghost attack _ ? Was what the mystery person saying true? Was he indeed, the one and only,  _ Danny Phantom? _

"And where do you think you're going, young man?" the man soberly asked, pushing the thoughts aside. The whole class was looking at them right now and Danny wished he could go back in time and stay in the washroom till the bell rang. At least there, he wasn't acting as suspicious as right now.

"Washroom?" the boy stated though it sounded more of a question than an answer. His goth friend now had her head on the table, realizing she should've given Danny acting lessons beforehand. She was surprised though that he hadn't stuttered or blabbered something random to the teacher or else his secret would've been discovered.

"Is that so? Well, rest-assured Mr. Fenton, there's no ghost out there," the man said, raising one of his brows as Sam whipped her head back up. She was panicking a bit and she realized that Danny was even worse. His face was pale now, not knowing what to respond, afraid he'll mess up. He looked at his cold fingernails, finding them suddenly interesting.

As for the class, they were watching attentively, waiting for a response to confirm their thoughts. So  _ was _ he Danny Phantom? Could it be possible?

"I-i wasn't checking for ghosts, I really need to pee," the boy quickly said but then shrugged, calming himself a bit. "But if there's a problem, I'll just sit down. After all, if there was a ghost attack, Phantom would surely show up," the boy casually said, not referring to the superhero's first name. He walked back to his seat, his head raised confidently to show that he had no idea what was going on. The whole class was surprised by his reaction, including Sam. They thought that he would just confirm that he's Phantom and leave to fight whatever ghost there is but he just shrugged it off. Like it was no big deal and that he had no idea why everyone thought he was Phantom. Sam was grinning widely, impressed by how Danny acted but she knew underneath his cover, he was panicking right now. He not only needed to go to the washroom to fight some ghost but to panic and possibly throw up.

He did not look good  _ at all. _

"Hey, you okay?" Sam whispered to him after a couple of minutes, making sure he wasn't on the verge of a heart attack.

" **Of course** , why wouldn't I be?" Danny muttered sarcastically, waving his hands up in the air in reaction to his reply.

"Sorry, standard question," she replied, smiling a bit when Danny chuckled a bit. "Anyway, I'm impressed. That was some pretty big acting there."

"Thanks. I'm surprised I managed to fool them, I think," he replied, checking his surroundings in case someone was listening to their conversation. These days have indeed caused him serious paranoia. "But I need to get out of here and fast. I have a feeling this isn't someone as easy as the box ghost."

"Don't worry, when the ghost attacks, I'll keep you covered. Or wait, I don't think I will have to, everybody will be panicking and running around."

"I guess you're right," Danny mumbled, looking at the board. If he couldn't go fight whatever this ghost was, he might as well pay attention in class and learn a few things. He was already failing in math so he should at least pay attention in English class.

Not five minutes had passed when a scream filled the hallways of Casper High, taking away everyone's attention. Even Mr. Lancer stopped talking, knowing it was a ghost. That was enough proof for him to think that Danny was indeed Phantom. He must've known there was a ghost around and he had to fight it.

"Okay everyone, calm down," the male teacher said, motioning everyone to stay in their seats and remain calm. However, the class was nowhere near calm. More screams echoed throughout the hallways and they can now feel the tense atmosphere forming in the school. Although they were used to it, that didn't mean they weren't afraid.

After hearing a loud ectoplasmic shot, everybody decided to scatter out of class, running for their lives. That was the last straw, that even the teacher couldn't hold them in. He finally gave up, sighing as he also ran out of the classroom and outside for safety.

"And that's my cue," Danny whispered to Sam as she nodded understandingly. He quickly got up from his seat when everybody left the classroom, including Sam. He ran out of the classroom, about to transform himself, the rings already forming by his waist when he suddenly stopped.

_ Mr. Lancer was still there. _

"U-uh, aren't you going to run?" Danny nervously stuttered, holding the back of his neck for support. Did he suspect anything? Did he see him about to transform?

The male teacher blinked, wondering why one of his students hadn't left yet when he realized who it  _ really _ was. It took him some time to realize that Danny needed space to transform and that he thought he didn't know. Mr. Lancer now understood why the teenage boy waited for everyone to leave the class.

Not wanting to demand an explanation from him, the teacher smiled at him before running to the school doors. He then stopped, holding onto the railing of the door before looking back.

"Be careful, Danny," Mr. Lancer soberly said, though he was now feeling worried. He couldn't believe that one of his students was sacrificing their lives every day to keep the town safe. The guilt was now eating him, as he forced himself to leave, not wanting to have the boy see the expression lingering in his eyes. For all the times he's embarrassed and scolded the boy for not doing his homework or failing an exam, he was protecting him and everyone else.

Meanwhile, Danny was surprised, his mouth shaped in an 'o' shape. He wanted to say something but what was he supposed to say? Instead, he closed his mouth, looking at the man disappearing from the door and outside with the others.

"Thanks," the boy whispered, before letting the two neon blue rings wash over him, transforming him into Danny Phantom. He was certain that his teacher knew his secret right now, but he didn't feel worried like he expected himself to. I mean, it's not like  _ Mr. Lancer _ would start chasing after him for an autograph or something. Instead, he thought that the teacher might cut him some slack. He can now understand as to why he always arrived late to class or didn't complete his homework.

* * *

_ "And so you have wished it, and so it will be-" _

"Oh come on, you've said that five times in the last minute. Here's the deal, I kick your butt, you get inside the thermos and I release you into the ghost zone," Danny stated annoyingly, before delivering another blast at the woman genie, his two best friends assisting him along the way.

"What he said. We're dealing with other issues, y' know," Tucker said back, before uncapping the Fenton Thermos, ready to suck her into it. Before Desirée can reply to the two comments, one person in the crowd said something that made Danny's blood freeze colder than his natural ice temperature.

_ "I wish Danny Phantom would reveal his secret!" _

Both of his best friends stared at him in horror, knowing that the female genie had heard his wish. Everybody was shocked, and the crowd was getting bigger meaning more helicopter reporters were circling the scene.

_ Oh no, _ Danny thought nervously as he motioned Tucker to aim the Fenton Thermos at the genie so the wish cannot be performed.  _ However, _ they were a tad too late. The female genie looked at the person who shouted the wish in confusion, not knowing why someone would wish for something ridiculous as  _ that _ . But when she noticed the ghost boy's expression, a smirk formed on her face.

"And so you have wished it, and so will it be!" Desiree cried, letting the blue swirls around her now form around Danny. He stared at his two best friends in a panic, knowing he won't have a secret anymore. Tucker quickly sucked the genie but the magical blue fog continued to form around Danny, doing its job.

Danny started to fly away, motioning to his two friends that they should take care of the thermos while he finds a place to hide. But luck wasn't on his side this time as everyone continued to chase after him, while he tried looking for a vacant place. He even forced himself to turn invisible but that didn't last long as his powers were now vanishing, meaning he was reverting to his natural self.

It first started with his clothes going back to their original state and then that escalated to his white hair reverting to his raven black hair. Danny's flying abilities were now beginning to disappear as he landed himself safely onto the ground, forcing himself to now start running. And then his eyes started to flicker from green to blue and he now knew for sure his secret was revealed.

He then came across a helicopter recording the scene and his terrified face, while more fans came from the other side. He looked around for someone he knew that would save him from his current situation but there were just a bunch of unfamiliar faces, shocked and happy at the same time. He was glad that they weren't looking at him like some sort of freak but that meant he was now going to live in isolation his entire life.

He now couldn't go out in public without getting ambushed by fans. That meant less time to hang out with his friends and a harder time to get the ghosts.

_ Well, I can say that I did Vlad's job for him,  _ Danny thought dryly as microphones were now being stuck to his face, waiting for answers to their quick questions. He tried to get away but he was pretty small compared to everyone else. There was only one way out but he didn't like it.

_ I mean, they already found out my secret identity, the least I can do now is get away, _ the teenage boy thought, before transforming himself to his ghost half, earning gasps of excitement from the crowd. At this point, everybody was chanting his name and he didn't know exactly why.

But he knew one thing, and that was to get to his house as soon as possible. He was certain that his friends were waiting for him there, at his room or parent's laboratory.

* * *

"Guys, this is serious, I don't know what to do!" Danny exclaimed, banging his head on the wall. Maybe if he banged his head enough, he would wake up from this awful nightmare.

Sam sighed as she looked out from the window of Danny's bedroom, seeing many fans and news reporters standing out there. "They're pretty persistent, aren't they?"

"Well, now we'll have to be careful. They know we're Danny's friends so that means we'll be attacked too with questions about him daily. Not that I mind but I need my personal space!" Tucker stated as he sighed but then a small smile formed on his lips. "But look on the bright side, now you don't have to worry about your secret being revealed anymore!"

"Tucker, the reason I was worried about my secret being revealed in the first place was because of this! How am I supposed to survive this and school!  _ Oh no, school! _ " Danny cried out, finally realizing that his classmates now knew his secret too. Oh, what was he going to do?

"But you can transform freely now anytime you want and use your ghost powers to your advantage without people questioning how. Plus, everybody in school will like you and I doubt Mr. Lancer would continue to send you to detention now," Sam answered collectively.

"I guess you're right...But that means I don't have a private life!" Danny stated, wrapping his arms over his body, his head facing the ground. Tucker raised an eyebrow at him, clearly questioning the reply.

"You have a personal life?" he questioned jokingly as Danny rolled his eyes, not pleased with his best friend's answer. Sure he never really had time for his best friends and he learned that the hard way when he decided to split himself in two, but now it will be worse. Now, even if he's in his Fenton form, people will still continue to give him attention and he didn't want  _ any _ of that.

"Trust me, little brother, you shouldn't worry too much," his sister Jazz responded, as the trio quickly turned their heads to where the voice was coming from. His sister had just entered his room, wearing an amused yet concerned look.

"I'm not in the mood," Danny muttered bitterly as he looked away, crossing his arms and looking out the window before closing off the blinds. The look from her face quickly vanished, being replaced with a serious one.

"Yeah, I know. And I also know how hard this must be for you, Danny. But trust me, you'll get used to it. I know you can, you've dealt with deadly ghosts before so dealing with a bunch of crazy fans shouldn't be a problem, hm? I hate seeing you like this. Cheer up, little brother. Who knows, it might be for the best."

Before he could reply to his sister's long statement, she quickly left the room, not wanting to hear any of Danny's excuses. She also tried hiding his secret multiple times but she knew sooner or later, it would have to be revealed.  _ Secrets are meant to be revealed _ , as the saying goes.

However, she would still be there to protect him and she reminded herself to give an announcement to the whole school about Danny, although she knew that the principal was already planning on doing so already.

Danny looked at the door where his sister had once stood a couple of seconds before he sighed and took a seat on the chair near his desk. He had multiple thoughts swarming in his head and for once, he wanted to be alone. There were pros and cons to all of this, but he knew that he was focusing on the cons than the pros. It can't be that bad... _ right? _ He sighed, telling himself that he'll give it a chance and see how the whole thing goes.

* * *

It's been three weeks, although it felt like a whole year to Danny. Things were finally back to normal however, there were a few changes regarding his secret identity. At first, he was reluctant to go to school because of the sudden reveal but his parents managed to convince him that it was okay and that he shouldn't worry too much about it. Plus, Danny knew he was already behind on his studies and that he needed to get back on track.

When he got to school, he was surprised to see the sudden behaviour of his classmates. Nobody seemed to attack him and he knew it was all Jazz's doings and possibly the school board. However, that didn't mean he didn't get any amazed stares. Everything seemed so...different. Everybody smiled at him, glad their hero was someone like Danny. They appreciated what Danny had done to them by saving them countless times even though they never bothered to give him much thought.

And although he was offered to be a part of the A-listers, he politely declined, deciding to instead sit with his childhood friends. And they understood. Everybody continued to treat him with respect and none of the teachers ever complained when he showed up late or didn't hand his homework in time. Well...except for Mr. Lancer.

Even though the male teacher was now more lenient with the boy, that didn't mean he was off the hook. He wasn't being sent to detention nor having parent conference talks, but the teacher was determined to have the boy focus on his studies and pass his classes, knowing that school was still important despite ghost hunting. He knew Danny was a brilliant boy.

His parents were now more careful when creating ghostly inventions and Danny felt relieved he didn't have to hide anything from them anymore. It now felt  _ normal _ .

But that didn't mean that his fans weren't running after him every chance they got. Every day after school, he would walk out with his friends by his side and then is met with cameras and fans like he was some sort of celebrity. Although it got annoying after a while, he learned to accept it and tried to sometimes smile at the photos being shot. As long as he had his family and friends by his side, he was fine.

"Video games at my place?" Tucker asked as the trio left the school, before getting greeted by a couple of fans. Sam chuckled beside him as she nodded, answering her friend's question. Before Danny could respond, however, a familiar ghost popped up in the sky, shaking his hands in a "scary" way.

"I am the box ghost!  **Fear me!** " the ghost cried, as Danny quickly transformed into his ghost self. The crowd started cheering for their hair, excited to see the hero's latest battle. And although it wasn't a serious one, they were still excited.

"You should be glad I'm in a good mood today," Phantom grinned, as the now frowning box ghost raised his hands, bringing the boxes nearby to life.

Danny did enjoy his job. And maybe,  _ just maybe _ , his secret being revealed wasn't so bad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Well, that's the end of this chapter! I would like to say something regarding Danny/Vlad's relationship in this book. Sure Vlad wants Danny to be his son but let's not forget the many times he's hurt him. But there is some potential for Vlad to show some care because as he quoted once in an episode, all he wanted was love and I feel like if he actually experienced something like this, he might change a bit and stop being a 'villain'. But another reason why he wanted Danny by his side is that it would be a part of his revenge scheme against Jack, and Maddie would supposedly join him when she sees her son with him. As the chapter goes on, I believe Danny would never join the fruitloop, especially after he's proven to defeat him multiple times and I knew Vlad would reveal his secret as he's already done worse stuff than that in the past and it was as a last resort. He tried using his family and friends against him to manipulate Danny because they are his weakness (proven during Ultimate Enemy) and after gave up when he realized how dumb people in Amity Park are. And lastly, for the ending with Desiree, I felt that since Danny's secret identity topic was trendy, someone might have wished for his reveal to happen (Wes? I don't know, you chose ;) 
> 
> Anyway, if there's something you think I should change, I'm open for criticism so don't hesitate :) Sorry for the long rant!
> 
> Word count: 13 962


	5. Vlad's Plan (P.3)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I know a couple of you have asked me to write another ending to this story regarding Vlad's P.O.V and his aftermath. After some thinking, I agreed to make a short part! It's the least I can do, because of my slow updates. I enjoy reading your comments and hearing feedback from you guys! I know I'm not that great, but it's something I enjoy and when readers like you enjoy my writing, that makes me even happier! Anyway, I hope you enjoy this very short chapter. I know it's poorly written, but I'm trying to get better. And with you guys encouraging me, I'm gaining more confidence :D
> 
> Oh, and before I forget, there's another author's note at the end of this chapter. Make sure you read through it, that is if you're interested in another new fanfic including Danny and Vlad ;)
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom, I simply only own the plots.

Vlad was having a good week. After the whole news fiasco that he got interviewed in with Danny's identity, he was coming up with more wicked plans. He had a bunch of ideas tucked up his sleeve, ready to be released. And although the rich man did have other important events to attend to, he never wasted the chance to steal a ghostly artifact, even if it cost his afterlife.

At the current moment, the well-dressed man was sitting on his favourite antique chair, stroking his precious cat while playing chess. Alone. But of course, Vlad didn't care. After all, he had money, fortune and fame, what else was there to live? Well, except for the Packer's team that seemed he couldn't buy and the love of his life who was currently with the man who caused his demise.

He pushed the envious thoughts away, forcing himself not to barge into Jack Fenton's house right now in his ghost form, even if he lived close by since he was elected mayor. Instead, he picked up his cat and pushed the strategic game away, deciding to watch something instead.

At first, he was gonna do some stalking on people's unfortunate lives and then, watch celebrities dealing with a crisis, but as he flipped through the channels, he paused on something that immediately caught his eye.

His right thumb was still hovering over the remote control, one press away from turning the channel. However, the news managed to take away all his focus. The man shockingly scanned the news channel, the bold black letters written underneath with a news reporter explaining what was currently happening.

**"Invisobill reveals himself?! No other than fourteen-year-old teenage boy Danny Fenton! Or is it Danny ****_Phantom?_** **"**

Vlad couldn't believe his eyes. So this was it? He didn't need a plan anymore? Did the boy just reveal himself like that? Knowing Danny, he wasn't the type to give up easily, especially after he refused to join him for the hundredth time. So the final question was, did Danny think that revealing his identity was the smart choice?

Vlad got his answer when he watched the news intently, looking at the process of Danny revealing himself. It looked like the boy was struggling to keep himself full ghost by how terrified his face looked. He was running, trying to get away from the crowd as soon as possible but was quite impossible by the cameras recording the whole thing and fans following him. Vlad should know when it comes to being famous and tracked all the time. Luckily, the boy still had a human half where he wasn't paid attention to but not anymore.

He watched the transformation slowly start with his shoes, then his clothes and finally his hair, leaving the eyes flickering from green to blue. Vlad didn't understand how he was transforming against his will, especially since the young halfa seemed to have his ghost powers for about a year. The crew must've not recorded the beginning part but whatever it was, he was sure it wasn't an intentional transformation. The expression the boy was wearing was enough proof. And it wasn't a pretty one.

After remaining shocked for a whole minute, an evil grin curved by the edge of the man's lips, and with the flashing light illuminating from the television and dark background, one could say he looked like a real villain. As a touch, the white cat was sitting on his lap, completing the typical villain stereotype.

Vlad continued to stare at the screen widely, the grin not disappearing. He was absolutely ecstatic. This was definitely _not _ part of the plan, totally unexpected, but he was glad it went that way. Saved him the trouble from the boy hating him even more. He didn't even have to get out of his chair to complete the mission. He can now finally put himself at ease, one problem was already taken care of.

_ Daniel just did my job for me, _ ** how considerate**, the man snickered to himself before getting up and closing the television. That was certainly enough screen time for today. He could now go back to the chess game he was focused on a couple of minutes ago.

But all focus that he had for the game had vanished by the time he sat down, placing the cat on the other side. He was mainly focused on his next plans which were about to happen in a few days or so. He wasn't expecting things to go so smoothly and quick. After the whole incident where Danny refused to accept the invitation and face the consequences, he was certain that things were going to be way more difficult than he had planned. But it turned out to be the exact opposite.

His plan had to work now, it only seemed reasonable. Now that Danny's whole identity had been revealed, his parents must've rejected him by now. He could now be lurking in the streets for all he knew! That thought urged him to go searching for the younger halfa but he resisted himself, knowing the boy would come out sooner or later anyway. His sister might be with him right now too since she, unfortunately, returned earlier from her trip.

Not only that, but he must also have the GIW hot on his trail right now. He must also be regretting his decision of not coming here sooner. His parents could be hunting him now too! And his fans could also be bombarding him right now too! Vlad knew for sure the boy was miserable.

"It's only a matter of time, Daniel, before you come running here to me like the pawn you are," he mumbled to himself as he moved his bishop in a diagonal direction, knocking out a white pawn.

"And when you do," he continued, before grinning and using his queen to block the other path of the recipient. "That would be **checkmate **for you."

Two weeks have passed by and Vlad had yet to receive news about the younger halfa. For the first couple of days, Vlad didn't put much thought into it. Danny must be overthinking about the possible choice and didn't want to face his arch-enemy yet. And Vlad was fine with that. He didn't care as long as he showed up at the end.

However, his thoughts were soon crushed after a week with no call or a sign of arrival. He was expecting the boy to show up earlier, he even prepared things in advance and was in a happier mood than usual. He didn't know what was taking Danny for so long. Did he still require more thinking? Or was he just stubborn?

Vlad waited and waited, hoping to receive some sort of acceptance of him coming. But unfortunately for Vlad, the boy never showed up. He was even starting to have doubts. Did something happen to change his plans? Were his friends involved in this again? Or perhaps his sister? She seemed to have a big role in his life.

When two weeks rolled by, Vlad was done. That was a lot of time to think and something must've happened to prevent Danny from coming, _ whatever _it was. But he would make sure to have him here, and later, his mom. After all, the boy must've lost hope already and it would be the perfect time to make another jab.

He first decided to send his vultures to investigate the current situation in the Fenton's home. Although he was sure those useless cultures will also fail at this job too, he didn't have a choice. He was very busy these days with his business work since he was a mayor, and he didn't seem to have much time to do anything. But of course, he could always send duplicates of himself, but that still required lots of energy and he already had used some of his energy to fly to the ghost zone and collect another ghost antique. The journey wasn't pleasant, by the way.

The point is, he wasn't going to visit him just yet, he wanted to hear what was happening first. And surely after a couple of days, the vultures came back.

"Took you long enough," Vlad grumbled, pushing himself out of his chair and crossing his arms.

"It's not our fault. That Fancy-pants ghost boy made it harder for us to vatch him. Vhat a nuisance!" The leader of the group with a hooked beak commented.

"Whatever just tell me what was going on," Vlad replied, ignoring the vulture's comment and eager to hear the news.

"Vell, it looks like he seems just fine. I mean, he looked very happy to be here and his parents vere spending more time with him than the last time ve visited him," the second vulture with the black glasses explained.

"And he seemed to have a whole bunch of fans crowding his house," the last vulture with the grey eyebrows added.

"And?" Vlad asked, wanting to know specifically how his parents were acting 'different'. Did they believe the news or thought it was just a hoax? And if they knew, did they accept him?

"That's it," the second vulture said.

"That's it?! I send you to watch the boy and gather information about him for a few days and **this** is what you bring me?" Vlad exclaimed, his eyes flickering red. What a bunch of useless brats!

"Oh, ve almost forgot!" The leader said, cowering a little. "Ve followed him to his school and his classmates vere acting very strange to him, very nice."

"And I need to know this, why?" Vlad asked, raising an eyebrow angrily, his eyes remaining the same.

"Because you told us to tell you everything about him?" The third vulture replied timidly as Vlad groaned in frustration. Maybe he should've been more specific.

"You _useless _birds! I tell you to kill the fat oaf a couple of months before and you fail. I literally have him in my house and you let an _inexperienced _boy beat you down! I tell you to watch that same teenage boy and all you get me is some _useless _information. What can you do?" The angry man pointed out.

"Ve're not useless! You should've been more specific," the leader said.

"And ve're not birds! Ve are ecto-Americans-"

"Whatever! You know what, get out of here before I do something you'll regret!" Vlad warned, his eyes now remaining a permanent bloody red. The three vultures quickly scattered away and left through the open window, not wanting to be faced with the angry man's wrath.

_ Useless incompetent birds! _ Now he felt even more curious and determined to go there and see for himself. Not only that, but understand every bit of what was happening. Maybe even talk to the boy and have him spit something out.

No, that would cause even more trouble. The boy was stubborn and if he found out he was still willing to have him as an apprentice, he'll leave instantly without getting a word or two. And he would start to be more cautious around the house knowing he was most likely being spied on.

Of course, he can always send his 'Plasmius Bug' and have it do the job for him. But he would only get to see what was happening. By the end, he'll just have a bunch of unanswered questions. The man wanted to see for himself what was happening and the conversations going on in the household. He also wanted to understand how his parents reacted, if the GIW were still hunting him and how everybody else felt in the situation. All he knew was that he had fans and his friends _but _that didn't mean everyone else had accepted him.

He decided on going on a normal weekday so it seems less suspicious and more normal. That way, he can see the daily routine. Sure he knew about the boy's ghost half and how he sucked at math, but that was because he cloned him a couple of weeks back. And that was basically it. He knew _nothing _about the boy's interests, dislikes, hobbies or stuff he did daily. If he wanted the boy to at least talk to him, he was going to have to know some information first.

So on an early Monday morning, he did some important mayor business before making a duplicate and leaving it there while his original self prepared to give the Fenton's a visit. The good thing was that he no longer lived in Wisconsin and he was much closer to them now so he didn't need to teleport.

Vlad was looking forward to this.

The next day wasn't as good as Vlad expected. He had finally found out what actually happened. And it wasn't nice.

The first thing Vlad did was pay the Fenton's a visit. He was originally gonna visit them as Vlad Masters, billionaire, and mayor, but decided against it. It was better they didn't know about it and let him work his way. Maybe at the end of his investigation, he might consider it.

So he watched them have breakfast and it seemed what the vultures had said was right. His family was spending even more time together which was a shocker since Jack and Maddie always spent most of their time in the lab, inventing new ghost weapons.

He watched them laugh together and have conversations as he willed himself not to barge in right there and destroy the man responsible for his misery. He continued to listen, since his hearing sense was strong, hoping to hear something involving the recent news.

Fortunately, he realized that the Fentons did believe that Danny was a ghost and was totally fine by it. Like, he had no problem transforming right in front of them and they kissed him goodbye while ushering him outside so he wouldn't be late. His sister obviously knew but her reaction was the same and they looked like a happy, perfect family. That annoying, but true, fact made him swell with anger and he forced himself to continue watching.

After the two teenagers were gone, he stayed a bit more, checking to see that maybe the parents were just acting and they were planning on exterminating Danny. But unfortunately for him, they had no crazy intentions and actually seemed fond and proud of their ghost boy son. Even Jack, who was a crazy ghost hunter, was happy even though his son was a ghost. Probably because he knew his son is a ghost hunter too.

He couldn't watch anymore and decided to see how school went for the boy. After all, he had already gained the information he needed about his parents and the plan seemed to go downhill from there.

School seemed to go great with Danny. He looked to be the popular one even though he didn't leave his friends by joining the A-listers, and everybody was acting so nice to him. Vlad rolled his eyes at the scene. _ Can they be any more obnoxious? _

Overall, the younger halfa had no problem with school. In fact, the reveal seemed to have granted him a better social life, even the teachers. Instead of giving him detention slips and lecturing him about responsibility, they were very lenient and even let him be excused out of class for half the time. Well, except for the English teacher but he seemed to be the one who didn't do well for excuses.

At this point, Vlad had seen enough and if he were in his human form, his eyes would be flickering dangerously red. He couldn't believe what was happening! Instead of the boy having the worst life, he was enjoying every second of it! He seemed so _happy _ ! That was **not** part of the plan. What was supposed to happen would be his parents and the whole world rejecting him, and then the GIW hunting him down while he staggered to his mansion!

The furious man continued to watch until school ended, and he watched when the fans and news reporters quickly rushed after Danny as he left the school doors. Even some of his classmates were following him, hoping they could be seen with the ghost celebrity.

Vlad tried to contain himself from blasting the smirk the boy was currently wearing as he signed autographs and posed for the pictures. Where were the GIW anyway? They were nowhere to be seen! What was taking them so long? Weren't they supposed to hunt the boy down, like, weeks ago?

Vlad flicked open his phone and dialled their number. After a couple of seconds, a voice answered.

"Hello?"

"Hello, yes. The ghost boy seems to be located near Casper High-school right now. What's taking you guys so long?" Vlad immediately asked.

"I'm sorry, I don't get what you're trying to say. If I may ask, who is speaking?"

"This is the mayor, Vlad masters. I assume you have heard of me?" The man replied dryly, annoyed with how slow the person on the other line acted. There was a sound of shuffling before a different person replied.

"M-mayor Masters! I'm _terribly _sorry, the person you were talking to is new here and isn't used to this stuff. Please excuse me, but how may I help you?"

"Enough chit-chat, I just need to know why your team isn't on the ghost boy right now? I assume you already know his identity and it won't be hard target him, am I right? After all, you guys seem to have the right equipment and that's why I'm funding you guys in the first place," Vlad explained.

"Um, well you see Mayor Masters, we're not actually 'hunting' the ghost boy anymore. After all, he's a celebrity and is doing g-good for the community," the agent stuttered. However, Vlad didn't seem to buy the act.

"You don't expect me to believe that, do you? Now tell me, what is the real reason?" The man asked again, more determined.

"We can't tell you that. We're authorized by our manager to not reveal _any _secrets involving our company," the man replied after a moment of silence.

"Do you know who you're talking to? **Mayor Masters**. I can fire _all _of you if I wanted to and I don't need to get up from my chair to do so. So, tell your manager that if he wants to keep his business running, you spit it right now. I'm getting annoyed right now, and when I do, I can do some pretty hectic things," the man ranted angrily and after he heard a sigh, he knew that it did its work.

"If you need to know...the thing is, that ghost is popular and loved not only here, but around the world. As soon as the world hears we laid a finger on him, we're doomed. Plus, he's not just a _ ghost_, but a fourteen-year-old human _kid_. That technically counts as child abuse and we can get badly charged. Our group is not taking any chances," the agent explained.

"Hmm, what if I pay you to...y'know.. scare him off or something? Warn him he's in danger? Like, maybe deliver a few shots but not kill him?" The man compromised after thinking for a minute.

"I'm sorry Mayor Masters, but as I said before, we _cannot _harm a kid, especially one that's not doing any harm. Everybody would go nuts. Trust us, if we suspect him of doing something villainous, we would not waste any time to terminate him. Plus, even if we managed to kidnap him without people knowing, we already have a sort of deal with the Fenton's."

"What is this 'deal' you speak of?"Vlad asked, now curious.

"Mister Masters, we can't say-"

"Oh for heaven's sake, can't you listen for once? What. is. the. deal?"

"Well, if you insist. The deal was that wey actually kind of work _with _the Fenton's, parents of the ghost boy. After all, they're ghosthunters. And in return, we get to use some of their inventions and hunt other ghosts without our business falling," the agent briefly explained.

"I don't care!" The man yelled out, not even caring what he was saying at the moment.

_ "But you said-" _

"**Forget **what I said! I want you to get rid of that **nuisance** and show him he's not welcome here or anywhere! Threaten him and his family, try to change the minds of the citizens, or I don't know something! You know ghosts can't be trusted," The man rambled, not flinching once by the irony of the sentence. 

"I'm sorry Mayor Masters, but we can't do that. If you want, you can hire some other people for that job but we don't involve ourselves in it," the man suggested but that wasn't enough.

"Y'know? I can fire all of you at this very moment," the man snarled, his eyes glowing bright red. He was sure he could manage to convince them! Turns out he was wrong, _ again_.

"You can do that. Or you can risk being hated as a mayor by literally everyone in the world. We record our calls, Mayor Masters. We won't do that though since we already have a backup if you do decide to fire us," the agent simply said. That was the last straw.

"YOU'RE FIRED. ALL OF YOU. YOU'RE ALL FIRED!" The man growled, ending the call in the process before disintegrating it to dust with his red ectoplasm.

Stupid agents. Even they seemed mesmerized by the boy! What did he have to do to get people to listen to him? _ One _teenage boy could make the whole world believe him and his well-thought plan, a man with twenty years of experience, fell right into it!

The man growled once more before deciding to head back to his mansion back at Wisconsin. He didn't want to see _anybody _in Amity, especially the Fenton Family. If he did, he won't be able to stop himself from blasting them off the planet.

_ Another plan backfired, _ the man mumbled to himself as he lifted his cape and teleported, leaving a dust of pink swirls behind.

Meanwhile, the younger halfa smirked, seeing the older halfa disappeared.

"What was that for man? You seemed to enjoy having your fans today," Tucker said to Danny, lifting himself from his PDA and grinning. His friend had been acting really weird today, especially after school.

"I was trying to get a reaction out of a certain someone," the boy grinned back as his goth friend raised an eyebrow.

"It was Vlad, wasn't it?" Sam asked, knowing the look well.

"Yeah? How'd you know?" Danny replied surprised.

"You have that look whenever you enjoy getting Vlad mad. It's a very popular one actually," the female friend replied, shrugging.

"What's he doing here anyway? I thought he'll be sulking with his cat right now," Tucker commented which earned a chuckle by the two.

"Actually, he might be doing it right now in his house. He seemed really pissed today," Danny stated.

"Ah. How did you spot him anyway?" Sam asked curiously.

"Easy. By the second period, he was radiating anger everywhere. It was pretty hard to focus in class but I couldn't help but smirk. He must've realized by now his plan had failed once again," the half-ghost explained as the trio continued to walk home.

"So that's why you seemed in a fun mood today," Tucker said in realization as they chuckled.

"Yeah. Something tells me we wouldn't be seeing him for a long time," Sam said as the other two nodded and stared at the view, smiling.

Back at the mansion, the rich man was fuming with anger. He held his cat, stroking it furiously on his favourite chair, going back to scheming.

_ Oh, Daniel, you haven't seen the last of me. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Now, I'm thinking of creating a new fanfic book. This one will not be a oneshot, but it will be a short book, like maybe ten chapters or so. I've done some research (something I wouldn't do when it comes to school) and have decided to make a book where it turns out Vlad is Danny's biological father. Now, this is a book where 'Phantom Planet' never happened and both halfa's don't know until Danny's parents tell him. Each chapter will give some evidence during monologues and there'll be lots of drama, family, fluff, and angst! I'll also make sure to alternate conversations between Danny, Jazz, Sam, Tucker, Vlad and his parents. I may start it soon and I'll tell you when I upload it!
> 
> Word Count: 3 982


	6. A Harmless Prank

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's April Fool's day, and everybody's pulling pranks on each other. Danny decides to play a prank but then Dash and Kwan decided it would be funny if they play a spray paint prank on him back during lunchtime. Whispers roam around and everybody's confused. Danny wasn't expecting it. Could it be? (Honestly, I feel like they would still be oblivious that Danny Phantom is Danny Fenton but let's just pretend they aren't dumb)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Danny Phantom. I simply only own the plots

It was just another normal holiday, or a special day anyway. Everybody was smiling, playing pranks on each other, especially the students of Casper High. They enjoyed the supposed 'holiday' as it brought laughter and joy to everyone, even if ghosts managed to attack every chance they got. It was a way to let out all the tension and stress from school work.

But two students enjoyed April Fool's the most, the two best friends famously known for their tricks, Danny Fenton and Tucker Foley. They not only played pranks on each other, but they found amusement playing pranks on other students and teachers, even though that meant getting wailed on by the one and only, number one bully, Dash Baxter. It was a day where the trio forgot about their ghost problems and focused on having fun instead.

So the day before April Fool's, the two best friends and even Sam, agreed on some good pranks to play on the students of Casper High, especially the bullies. They didn't care that they would get in trouble afterward, they just knew that it had to be done. The pranks were too good to pass. And now that Danny had ghost powers, they used it to their advantage. Although Danny was reluctant of using his powers for his selfish reasons, he knew these powers were meant to fight ghosts and save people, Tucker finally convinced him, explaining to him that it was a  _ harmless _ prank and nobody would get physically hurt.

Sam, on the other hand, did not like the idea. She knew they would get in serious trouble somehow and she was worried. She knew their plan would work and that would be the problem, meaning Dash would know who the culprit, or  _ culprits _ , are. Sure Dash barely passed his classes, but he was smart when it came to stuff involving his classmates. She tried convincing the two stubborn boys that it would not be wise to play such a dangerous game on him but,  _ of course _ , the two boys wouldn't hear it.

However, the trio was oblivious to the fact that their school enemy was also planning something, a mischievous act. He even managed to get his best friend, Kwan, to join this 'evil' plan. It was going to be great. Dash knew that Danny would most likely play a prank on him and he found it only fair that he returned the favour. After that time Danny placed all of his pink stuffed animals in his locker and Fenton toilet paper, he still held a grudge against him and was finally going to let it all out tomorrow.

He knew his plan would work, as there weren't any flaws. He was sure that the boy wouldn't suspect a thing, as it was going to be a surprise. He couldn't wait to see the look on his arch-enemy! However, he had to be cautious in the next couple of hours of school. Danny would try to play a prank on him too, knowing the boy was capable of it. He was going to pay extra attention tomorrow so that he wouldn't let him embarrass himself again in front of the whole school.

As the two rivals planned their well-thought pranks, they were unaware of what tomorrow held for them. They were unaware of how... serious this prank could go. But what could happen? It was just a prank. A  _ harmless _ one. They were sure nobody would get hurt and by nobody, that included themselves and their friends. After all, April Fool's was supposed to be a fun day. What could go wrong?

_ Everything _

* * *

The next day was certainly different, and a good change from other days. The students were more cheerful,  _ including Sam _ , and less boring than usual but of course who would be? Especially if it meant playing pranks on their least favourite teachers aka Mr. Lancer. Although the pranks weren't serious, they got a laugh or two from other people and it seemed that April Fool's will be better this year.

However, nobody's expression can compare to Danny's. He was beaming, his face screaming rainbows and unicorns, as if he had just won a trophy. Everybody knew he was planning something big, and not only to his bully Dash. And even if it wasn't necessarily a  _ big _ prank, they were certain it was still a good one. Danny had the same look on his face whenever he was about to do something mischievous.

Danny walked to his two best friends who were unlocking their lockers and grabbing their binders for the next period class. When they noticed Danny walking towards them, they waved at him, and were glad to see him wearing a radiant expression.

"Hey guys," Danny simply said as he unlocked his locker before stuffing his backpack into the messy space. He didn't bother picking up the pieces of crumpled paper balls which landed softly on the ground. He finally took out his unfinished papers before locking it back.

"What took you so long? Don't tell me you overslept again," Sam warned, narrowing her eyes at the grinning teenage boy. It didn't look like he slept in though, in fact, it looked like he woke up extra early today. The bags were still under his eyes and he looked exhausted but still sober enough to focus in class. But she knew the boy was capable of oversleeping, considering the number of times he showed up late to their weekend plans.

Tucker pushed his PDA in front of the boy's face, displaying the time as he knew Danny never wore a watch and didn't have his phone with him at the moment. They were one minute late to class and were just about to leave if the boy hadn't shown up in time. They were used to Danny coming in late since there always happened to be a ghost nearby, but they were certain that there wasn't a ghost  _ anywhere _ . And he didn't have any new cuts or bruises on his face or arms.

"I had some... business to attend to," the boy replied, hesitating on whether to tell his friends the truth or not. He quickly turned his head away from the confused glances they shot him, as he walked down the hallway leading to his class. His friends snapped out of their curious thoughts and rushed beside him, now determined to know what the boy had been doing. If someone had met him for the first time, they would've thought he just committed a crime and managed to escape.

"What were you  _ exactly _ doing man?" Tucker asked cluelessly, eager to know what the boy had done to make him so excited. His eyes were on fire, burning with emotion, particularly anticipation. However, Sam didn't need to ask to know what made the boy so happy.

"You know he's gonna find out, right?" she stated obviously, raising an eyebrow at her friend as Tucker finally caught on, grinning. On the other hand, Danny only smiled smugly, not caring the slightest.

"Have you seen his grades?" Danny asked, rolling his eyes as his friend Tucker looked at him, eager to hear what he was going to say next. The two boys stopped walking as they turned to face each other, grinning.

"Never gonna happen!" the two exclaimed at the exact time, their fingers pointing at each other in the process, earning a chuckle. However, their goth friend only rolled her eyes, still not believing they would get away with it easily. The last time Danny pulled out the toilet paper prank on Dash, he got chased by him and was about to get wailed on if he hadn't escaped in time. She knew that Dash wouldn't be too lenient with him this time.

"Well, what comes around,  _ goes around _ . Just be careful," Sam warned as the trio started walking again to their next period class, math. This time, Danny only sighed, the excitement on his face vanishing quickly. Sam instantly felt guilty, as if she were responsible for the boy's sudden mood.

"I know, I know. But I feel like Dash already has a prank planned for me," Danny admitted, rubbing his neck nervously. Tucker instantly placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder, smiling in the process.

"Don't worry dude, we got your back," he softly said as Danny smiled appreciatively and Sam also placed a comforting hand on him.

"Yeah, he can try to get you, we won't let it happen. Speaking of which, what's the prank you planned for him anyway?" Sam asked as she smiled when the boy's mischievous expression returned.

"Oh, let's just say that his face will be pale as a ghost after this..." Danny mumbled with a smirk in the process. Oh, he just couldn't wait! Tucker raised an eyebrow at his friend's answer, questioning what he meant by that.

"Did you mean that literally?" he asked, smirking, as their goth friend shook her head, knowing she wouldn't be able to get them to stop performing the prank. Now that Tucker seemed interested in it, she won't be able to change either of their minds.

** _"Maybe..." _ ** Danny whispered, the grin still lingering on his face.

* * *

Danny wasn't the only one who had a plan coming up. Before the second-period class started, Dash walked down the hallway to meet up with his school pal, Kwan. He was supposed to retrieve a couple of supplies that he told his friend to get. These materials were what he needed to complete his plan.

Dash searched for Kwan, finally spotting him, talking with a familiar blonde girl, Star. The two looked to be in a good mood as they laughed and made small talk casually. When Star noticed Dash coming by, she said one last goodbye and excused herself, wanting to give the two boys some space. She knew it had to be something related to the prank they were planning so she finally decided to visit her popular best friend. She knew Paulina was probably at her locker, fanning over her Danny Phantom shrine.

Once Star was gone, Dash grinned at his friend, motioning him to take out the desired materials. Kwan immediately knew what his friend was talking about so he placed the light shopping bag on the floor and began taking out the materials his friend requested him to get; cans of spray paint (all shades of grey and white), an empty shampoo bottle and water bottle. As he took out the materials, the receipt fell out and Dash bent down to pick it up, examining the specified materials and their prices.

"Mhm... now _ that's _ the perfect one," Dash smiled satisfied, going down the list as he stuffed the receipt in his jeans pocket and picked up the perfect shade of light grey. "How long is this supposed to last exactly? Hopefully not just one day."

Kwan grinned as he took out more paint colours, looking at the back of the bottle where the instructions sticker was printed out. "Just enough time for everybody to realize he 'dyed' his hair. This is permanent spray paint, meaning it's more effective than normal hair dye. It's supposed to last for about a week before he's able to wash it out quickly. He won't be able to dye over it for cover before then because it's strong paint… Are you sure about this? We can get in serious trouble for this..."

Dash looked at his nervous friend before he examined the pewter shade bottle again, checking to see if it will cause any serious damage. Fortunately, it didn't mention anything about it seriously damaging the hair, other than it will stay there for a couple of days and maybe weaken it like any other chemical. He knew he would get in trouble for it but he wanted serious revenge on the boy.

"Relax  _ Kwan _ , I'll be doing the rest, good? He can dye it back to his raven black hair, or even just wash it out after since it's washable, after everyone's had a good laugh or two. Plus, this is not a harmful kind and will only paint his hair. But why all of these shades of grey and white? Couldn't you choose something more flashy, like pink or orange?" Dash asked curiously, confused as to why his friend decided to use harbour grey as one of the paint colours.

"Well, it was supposed to make him feel like he's ageing quickly or some sort like that. But the other reason was that it's Phantom's hair colour and I always wondered how it would look on a teenage boy, even if it meant trying it on someone like Fenton," Kwan simply replied as his friend rolled his eyes, not believing that  _ that _ was the actual reason.

"How'd you know the exact shade anyway? I've seen Phantom's hair colour and this one is similar to it..." The boy further asked, knowing it did look like Phantom's hair colour. Kwan only grinned, nudging his head towards the two popular girls, who were currently giggling over a silly teacher rumour going around. Dash raised an eyebrow, still not understanding what the shade color had to do with Paulina and Star.

"Paulina has a shrine of him, dude. She practically knows his exact hair colour from the number of pictures she took. I even think she has a strand of his hair somewhere..." Kwan finally said, growing annoyed by the obliviousness of his friend. Dash's eyes widened, finally understanding the concept and shuddered. Stalker much? Sure he liked Phantom but not to the point where he had a shrine at home  _ and _ school.

"Wow, guess I shouldn't be surprised. She has a major crush on him but I can't blame her. Phantom's awesome dude," Dash admitted, as he sighed dreamily of his hero while Kwan chuckled, still not believing his friend had a role model other than himself. If it's one thing he knew about Dash, it's that he loves himself to the point where he kisses his muscles.

"I know, I wish we knew who he was..." he replied as the boys nodded, going back to the task at hand. Dash picked up the perfect shade of light grey,  _ pewter _ , before smiling evilly at it. He was excited to play a prank on his  _ classmate _ and couldn't wait to see the reaction when the boy entered the cafeteria today. It was going to be priceless and he would be there to record and post the whole thing on the internet.

"I still don't know how spray painting someone's hair is supposed to be funny. Doesn't seem like a good enough prank to me," Kwan absentmindedly said, as his friend rolled his eyes.

"Kwan, ol' pal of mine. The purpose is  _ not  _ to give Fenturd a makeover. He was supposed to freak out over his new hair color like a girl screaming over cockroaches, and  _ I _ was supposed to videotape it so everybody would see. He would most probably hide his hair with some hat and then when he enters the cafeteria..." Dash trailed off as Kwan blinked a couple of times, before finally getting the idea.

"I would take it off. Got it," his friend completed the sentence as Dash grinned, patting his friend on the shoulder.

"I would be expecting some sort of scream which would make everybody laugh. You know how jittery he can get, especially around ghosts. He'll probably think he's some sort of ghost or something," the blonde boy explained as his friend nodded smiling, seeing what he meant. Now that Kwan knew why the prank was going to be a success, he was even more excited to see how the hair colour would turn out even if it meant trying it on someone like Fenton. It's not like he was Phantom or something anyway.

"And we're doing this today, right? But when? We have class before lunch and we can't just go spray paint his hair in the middle of the cafeteria!" Kwan stated as his friend rolled his eyes before he picked up the empty shampoo bottle, specifically the one Danny used all the time.

"You see this? Fenturd uses this type of shampoo all the time. He'll think that this is his actual shampoo and he'll put it on right before lunch, giving him no time to think twice," Dash explained as Kwan held his right finger up, ready to ask for a further explanation before Dash walked to the boy's washroom, motioning his friend to follow him. Kwan obliged, following his best friend as they entered the empty washroom.

"I have Phys.ed right before lunch and that's why  _ I'll _ be the one doing the honours. He always takes a shower after everyone is done and that's why he's always late for lunch. Meanwhile,  _ I'll _ slip by the change room, switch the two shampoo bottles and wait for the outcome, outside the gym," Dash further explained as he unscrewed the cap of the shampoo bottle and spray paint bottle before pouring the contents into the empty shampoo bottle. He made sure it wasn't too full to not attract any suspicion and he poured a bit of lukewarm water. He screwed the cap back on, the now full shampoo bottle before giving it a shake, making sure it mixed well. This will make sure the dye wasn't too powerful and that it wouldn't cause damage to his hair.

"Ah, you have this all planned out," Kwan commented as his friend grinned and exited the boy's washroom, the shampoo bottle held tightly in his right hand. He was now confident and pretty excited. It would be a good prank, he knew that for sure. He also knew it wouldn't cause harm to the boy which meant he won't get into trouble for this.

"Oh, you better watch out, Fentina. This won't be like my usual wailings," Dash smirked as he unlocked his locker, stuffing the bottle inside his gym bag so he doesn't forget.

* * *

Right after second period, Danny practically ran to his locker, not to only put his stuff away and grab his gym bag, but to put his prank into action. To say he was excited would be an understatement. Anybody who looked at him would immediately realize that there was something strange with the boy. The gleam in his eyes was shinier than usual, excitement being the most obvious one. Even his friends were stunned by their friend's weird demeanour, not knowing if this was a good sign or not. It didn't look like it caused him any serious trouble nor did it look like he was affected in a bad way. At least, he wasn't gloomy or mad like usual days.

Danny quickly unlocked his locker, thankful that it opened right this time. He didn't even need Tucker to help him with it, he did it on his own this time. Danny stuffed some algebra homework sheets on the top shelf, not bothering to check if it would get crumpled. It's not like he was going to do it anyway, his parents had a new ghost invention and wanted Danny to help them out today. And knowing himself, he either would help them or fight some ghosts that decided to show up.

He took out his desired item, his cracked phone. He usually brought his phone with him to class but he knew his teachers would probably take it away from him as they did with Tucker's PDA. So he decided to not risk it and keep it safe in his locker. This prank was too important and he  **needed** to record it.

"Dude, why were you running so fast?" Tucker asked, quickly catching up to his friend with Sam by his side. They were both panting, still questioning how the boy managed to get so far without a single sweat running down his forehead. They didn't even know he could run like that, as he never tried to in gym class. This prank must mean a lot to him.

"Yeah, not to mention you've been acting so weird lately. I would ask you to leave this prank alone but you wouldn't listen to me anyway," Sam stated, shrugging her shoulders as she placed her hand on the locker beside Danny's for support. However, Tucker only shook his head, not agreeing with what she was suggesting.

"Are you kidding?! This prank will be legendary and knowing Danny, he's got something big planned," his techno-geek friend exclaimed, catching the attention of several students walking to their next classes.

"Shh, be quiet!" Danny quickly hushed, raising his finger to his lips to signal him to stop talking. He looked around, checking to see if anyone was listening before leaning closer to his friends. "I'm going to the washroom, don't leave. Tucker, you record using this. The show's about to start soon."

Before either friends could question what Danny was talking about, he gently tossed his already broken phone to his male friend, running in the opposite direction to where they came from. Sam wanted to go follow him and demand an explanation but she noticed a blue light from the end of the hallway, to which no one else noticed, including Tucker. She raised an eyebrow at the scene, wondering as to why Danny had changed to his ghost form. Was there a ghost nearby?... But a blue mist would have appeared out of his mouth and he would have told them.  _ Was it... was this a part of the prank? _

While Sam stood there thinking about the possibilities, Tucker played with the phone his friend gave him, inspecting the cracks it already had. He shook his head at his friend's carelessness, understanding why he couldn't take care of his phone properly. Hell, he couldn't take care of himself without getting into some form of trouble!

Before Tucker could give out a statement about his friend's lack of responsibility to Sam, they heard a familiar scream, more specifically, Dash's. Tucker quickly tapped the record button, knowing this was Danny's way to cue him to start recording. The two friends ran to the direction where the commotion was coming from before stopping at a crowd surrounding Dash's locker.

Sam pushed by, eager to find out what exactly happened. By the conversations going on between her classmates, it looked like Dash had seen a 'ghost' but there wasn't one and everybody thought he was crazy now. She rolled her eyes, knowing exactly  _ which ghost _ it was but before she could comment on the situation to Tucker, she noticed he was gone too. She pushed by the students, now eager to find her techno-geek friend when she noticed him recording in the front of the crowd.

Once she got to the front beside her Tucker, she noticed something that made her eyes go wide. There he was,  **Dash, ** prancing around like an escaped monkey who just learned ballet. He was currently wearing a tutu skirt over his outfit, and any other person would've mistaken him for being drunk by the way his body slugged across the hallway, his legs sloppily dragging along. Sam knew he was possessed, by the flickering green in his eyes. Of course, no one noticed this except for her and Tucker, because of the amusement 'Dash' was currently displaying. Even Tucker was grinning which only made Sam roll her eyes, not impressed by the immature behaviour of her two best friends.

Just then, Dash immediately dropped to the ground like a puppet who lost his strings, and when he opened his eyes again they were back to their usual blue, except he looked more tired and confused than before. He looked at the crowd, clearly confused as to why everybody was grinning and laughing at him. However, his expression quickly changed to shock and embarrassment, glancing at the outfit he was wearing and quickly ran to the boy's washroom, making sure to drag his friend, Kwan along.

Just then, Danny walked in, his black hair messier than usual but his mood is still the same as before. Nobody noticed Danny's classy entrance though and continued to talk about the prank, causing him to smirk even wider.

"So what did I miss?" he innocently asked, as Sam rolled her eyes while Tucker high-fived his friend. The mischievousness was written all over his face as if screaming  _ 'I did it' _ . However, no one noticed it or even acknowledged Danny mysteriously walking into the crime scene. They didn't even pay attention to the fact that they were three minutes late to class and continued to chuckle on their way to class.

"You know he will suspect you, right?" Sam absentmindedly stated as she dragged both her friends down the hallway, one grinning like a crazy psychopath while the other posting the video on social media, smirking now and then.

"Oh, how will he know? It's not like he realized I'm a ghost or something," Danny stated as he looked over Tucker's shoulder, making sure the video was perfect and included all the necessary elements to make it a success. It would be the first video to be officially posted online about the whole prank.

"Other than the fact that your parents are ghost hunters and are constantly inventing ghost stuff, and not to mention the fact that you've done pranks on him before,  ** _everything _ ** !" Sam exclaimed nervously, pointing out the facts as the two boys simply just grinned, not caring at all with what they could be faced with after this.

"Who cares? His prank can't top this," Danny smugly stated as he earned another eye roll from his goth friend. It's not that she didn't enjoy pranks, especially Danny's, but Dash wasn't someone you should pull off these pranks with. She knew he would figure out it was Danny all along, and he would try to find a way to ruin his life. Dash's reputation was already basically drowning at the moment.

She didn't know why, but she had a bad feeling for today, even though the prank that her friend set up was pretty good and made her laugh too. She had a feeling that Dash also had a good prank and it wouldn't be something funny,  **at all ** ...

* * *

"Oh come on! It can't be  _ that _ bad," Kwan soothingly said, trying to calm down the furious teenager but unfortunately, he wasn't succeeding. Dash was ready to explode into tiny bits, his face red of anger and his hands white from clutching onto the wet slippery sink. He didn't bother trying to cuff up the sleeves of his red and white sweater, not caring one bit. He hadn't even noticed his hands had started to throb not until he covered his face, not even wanting to look at himself in the mirror.

"My reputation is decreasing! At this rate, I'll be below fenturd," he growled to his friends, his eyes burning with embarrassment but mostly hate. Oh, how he wanted revenge on the person responsible for this-or ghost in this case. He'll be listed as the ballerina for the rest of high school now. Whoever this ghost was, he was going to pay  _ dearly _ , in fact, he could care less for how dangerous this ghost is. All he cared about was getting his revenge.

The mention of his school rival quickly grabbed his attention. His eyes hardened, realizing who the culprit might be. Of course, how  _ couldn't _ he have noticed?

Danny's facial expression from the morning was nowhere near relaxing. He had something big planned, that's for sure. However, he knew for sure the person to blame for his current situation would be him. It had to be, who else? He didn't know how he managed to get a ghost to overshadow him but he just knew he was the one who planned this. That was why he was looking so smug in the morning, so confident with himself. He knew his prank would work and Dash felt stupid for not realizing it sooner. He hated to admit it, but the black-haired teenager was certainly clever than he gave him credit for sometimes. Too bad he didn't use his brain in his school studies.

And although Dash had a hard time figuring out how Danny managed to pull this prank off, in the end, he was still sure that Danny was the one responsible for it. The more he thought about the prank, the greater his conclusion grew. Danny was responsible for it, and there was nothing anybody could do to change his mind. But that made things easier for him. Now, he wouldn't have to feel guilty for playing the other side of the game. He would feel no regret when the boy walked in after gym class with his hair white as snow, or sparkling grey in this case.

Danny was the son of two ghost hunters, that was enough evidence to come to such a conclusion. He probably either had ghost allies or had an invention to blackmail them with. His father was always coming up with new inventions each day so it didn't seem entirely impossible. Not only that, Danny was the student ghosts mostly associated themselves with, counting the multiple times he and his friends had tried to fight them. And what made things even more suspicious was that after the ghost left his body and he looked at the laughing crowd, Danny was nowhere to be seen. His friend, Tucker, was the one recording instead of him and that made no sense whatsoever. Of course, why would Danny waste such a good chance like this? Shouldn't he be in the crowd, laughing or recording the scene to humiliate him later on? Shouldn't this be the time to get back on him?

_ He was with the ghost after this, probably finishing off the deal or something,  _ Dash thought angrily _ , _ slapping himself mentally for not seeing this before. He was mad at Danny, and he couldn't wait till lunchtime. Now thanks to him, he was missing Phys.ed and instead, having a breakdown like a girl who just embarrassed herself in front of her crush. Can things get  _ any _ worse?

His hands clenched into fists, begging him to leave the washroom and deliver a well-deserved punch at the boy responsible. But he had to be reasonable and smart about this, knowing that Danny will maybe not even admit it was him or even turn out not to be him in the first place. After all, he didn't have any solid proof that it was him. It could've just been a ghost that wanted to have some fun and chose to play puppet.

And although the idea of wailing on Danny seemed pleasing, he had to stop himself from storming off, reminding himself the reason why he had to remain so calm. If he wanted the prank to go smoothly, he'll have to push his emotions aside so that he can focus on the task.

He was more than eager to start right away with the plan and get it over with so he can have a laugh or two. He wanted to humiliate his rival just like he had done with him. If there was something Dash knew, it was revenge. He definitely cannot let this slide, knowing students will continue to whisper about him for the rest of high school. He had to give the audience something else to focus on, something amusing so that they'll forget whatever happened to him. It had to be something that will be remembered.

"Kwan, how much time do we have till lunch?" the boy asked darkly, his eyes staring boldly at the mirror, not blinking once. The look was enough to shatter the glass contained in it. Even his friend, Kwan took a step back, afraid to answer the simple yet unnerving question. He gulped, nervously rubbing his neck before sighing.

"T-thirty-seven minutes," the boy finally responded, gulping once more to wash away the tension his body was in. However, Dash obliviously ignored the nervousness of his friend and instead sighed annoyingly. He was unaware of the amount of time he had spent in the washroom. The coach was probably wondering where he was now, as he was pretty famous in the sports department so that meant hiding wasn't going to get him far enough. Meanwhile, for the students, they were either talking shit behind his back or waiting nervously for the entrance of the A-lister. If they were smart enough, they would've gone back to fearing him instead because he was gonna get back for whoever talked behind his back.  _ That was a promise. _

Dash exited the vacant washroom, his friend following beside him as they headed to their lockers. The hallways were really quiet, and Kwan found it odd that not a single student had left their classroom to go to the washroom. Either they drank less liquid today, or they were afraid to face the wrath of the school bully. Nobody was willing to take the chance of walking into the washroom and confronting Dash. It was like suicide.

Once they got to their desired destination, Dash unlocked his locker and searched through his gym bag, taking his time to examine the other bottles he had. After all, he was in no rush to go back to gym class. They had a lot of time till lunch and class still had twenty minutes left.

He finally took out the 'shampoo' before giving it a quick shake, making sure the water wasn't floating at the top. That would've made things suspicious. It had to look like real shampoo and for that to work, he had to mix the dye and water for a lighter, but still thick substance. Dash then grinned, examining the final results of his mixed chemicals before motioning to his friend to follow. Now all they needed to do was head to their gym class and switch the two alike bottles and get out of here. Well, Dash planned on staying and seeing the final results of his well-planned prank.

When they finally reached the heavy gym doors and pushed it open, they were glad to see that their class was outside in the field, playing soccer. It was quite a sunny day, and although it wasn't that hot, the weather was still nice and they could use some water at the moment. However, the two boys ignored their need to quench their thirst and walked by the basketball court, paying attention to their surroundings.

Now, their gym teacher won't have to ask them why they were late or what they were doing. There wasn't a single soul in the gym court except for the custodian, but he ignored them and continued onto his job. And that's not the best of all. They now didn't have to meet the eyes of their curious and snickering classmates. They weren't ready to meet the questioning glances and Dash still needed to calm down a bit in case he beat up a kid for saying something dumb.

The two boys quickly sneaked into the boy's change room and cautiously peeked in, making sure no one was present. They were afraid  _ someone _ was left behind, and Kwan was especially afraid that  _ Danny _ would be the one late (since it was always him for some reason). Kwan was afraid that he wouldn't be able to stop Dash from wailing on Danny since there weren't any teachers or students around to protect him.

However, the way they sneaked into the change room was something that came out of a fictional movie. If it weren't for the current situation, their actions would've been almost comical. Once they found out nobody was here, they entered the room and looked for a certain locker, specifically Danny's. They knew his locker had no lock on it since he always managed to either forget his combination or just couldn't open it, so it wasn't hard finding the correct one.

"Dash, here!" Kwan whispered excitedly, pointing to the right locker. Dash grinned and quickly headed to where his friend was standing. Once there, he yanked open the locker door and searched for the boy's shampoo, making the locker messier than before but Dash knew Danny wouldn't suspect a thing, he was always concentrated on other things. Once Dash was sure he held the right shampoo, he switched places with the dye bottle and shut the locker.

"Okay, now that you're finished, I'm leaving," Kwan stated as he waved 'goodbye' to his friend and quickly left, afraid to get caught by a passing teacher or curious student. Dash rolled his eyes at his friend but grinned nevertheless. He was too excited to regard the consequences of his actions. He knew Danny wouldn't suspect a thing, his plan was going perfectly so far. Now, all he had to do was wait until the fish took the bait. And that wouldn't be long since he had only fifteen minutes to go.

* * *

Danny had just finished with the final warm-up when he decided to take a shower. Today, Ms. Tetslaff made them do extra push-ups/sit-ups in advance for the upcoming fitness test and nobody seemed to be in the mood to do anything. If it weren't for the prank earlier, Danny would've complained about his aching sweaty body or for the fact that he got yelled at a couple of times today, though that happened all the time. But a ghostly smile was still visible on his face and it didn't seem that would change anytime soon.

"Nice video," a random student in his class complimented him, as Danny grinned in response, walking to the boy's change-room. Sure Tucker was the one who uploaded it, but it was under Danny's name for his friend didn't seem too keen on being yelled at by Dash after. And even if Danny was kind of afraid of Dash finding out it was him, he could care less. His reputation was increasing because of it, and for once, he didn't mind the attention he was getting. He was enjoying it. When was the last time since he had this much attention? Excluding his hero half, of course.

Another student gave him a high-five in the change-room as he returned it, taking a seat on one of the wooden benches. He ignored the fact that Dash and Kwan were nowhere to be seen and focused on relaxing his exhausted body. Sure he fought ghosts daily, but his body still wasn't the best and he did get tired often, especially when his gym teacher made them run laps all the time (and from Skulker's new weapons yesterday). It was certainly exhausting.

Danny sat there for a while, waiting for the rest of his classmates to take a shower and change so that he could do the same afterward. Danny never particularly liked changing or showering when people were around, even if it was just boys the same age as him. He felt a bit self-conscious and he liked to take his time without feeling some sort of pressure. That's another reason why he never had time for lunch. Either the people changing took too long or there was some sort of ghost he had to fight. He hated it when he was in the middle of showering and a ghost, the Box Ghost specifically, thought it was the perfect time to interrupt him from relaxing. He just hoped that these ghosts decided to take a break and let him rest for  _ at least _ one day. He was having a good day and he didn't want  _ anyone _ to ruin it.

When Danny realized that they were just wrapping things up, he took out his school clothes and towel from his locker, making sure to also bring his shampoo and soap along. Lunch was about to start in five minutes and so far, not one ghost decided to make an entrance. When there weren't many people around, Danny tried looking for an empty shower stall and when he found one, he neatly placed his clothes somewhere dry and brought his necessities along.

The water was hot today, and he almost believed today would turn out great. After scrubbing his body, he unscrewed the cap from the shampoo bottle and put some on his head, not paying attention to the slightly changed colour of the content. He simply shrugged it off and focused on washing his hair, making sure it was clean enough. After he was satisfied, he rinsed all the excess soap out, making sure there was none at sight.

He turned the tap off and quickly wrapped the oversize towel around his body, shivering from the coldness of the atmosphere. Even though there was hot steam and his body temperature was cold, he still felt a sort of shiver and he was almost worried that there was a ghost nearby and he would have to fight naked. Fortunately, there was no one and he sighed happily, turning intangible so the water would slip itself from his body. He paid no attention to drying his hair and focused on getting dressed first, the chilliness not leaving him.

He then turned to face the full body mirror when he realized something that made him freeze. His hair was... _ white! _ Well, not  _ completely _ white, it was more of a light shade of grey but it resembled the same colour he wore when he transformed into Phantom. The sight was certainly unsettling and he shakily forced himself to transform to his ghost self, ignoring his shivering body. He then changed back to his human self and realized the colour was still there.

He was afraid it was permanent. But most of all, he had a million questions in his head.  **What in the world had happened to his hair?!** It couldn't have been some ghost symptom or something, right? He had to ask Frostbite if this was normal, but he was sure it wasn't. He didn't know what to say, so he just stood there, facing the mirror in horror.

He walked closer to the mirror, inspecting his hair even further when he realized there were still a few specs of his black hair at the top of his hair. It was mostly the longer strands that were affected. He was confused. It couldn't be his ghost self or his hair would've been completely white. It looked like someone had poorly dyed it!

He then brought his attention to the shampoo that was sitting on the bench and picked it up, unscrewing the lid and peeking through it. The first thing he noticed was the change of colour. He was sure the shampoo he had been using was pale blue and not  _ this _ . When he poured a little bit of the content at his fingertips, he noticed the texture was also a bit thicker, like glue and it had a different smell of nail-polish. It almost reminded him of the smell of spray paint. But why would he have spray paint shampoo? He had been using the same bottle for two years and the last time he used it was only two days ago. What caused it to be like this? It wasn't like shampoo bottles had expiry dates or something.

But as he further inspected the bottle, he began to realize that it wasn't his. Sure it was the same shampoo  _ bottle _ he used but it wasn't the same liquid. Plus, it didn't contain this much last time and he was now sure someone must've left it in his locker purposely.

He tried washing his hair again despite the time. He was sure his friends were probably worried about him even though it happened often. They would've known if he was fighting a ghost by now. Plus, he never took that much time taking a shower so he washed his hair over and over again, hoping for some progress that would prove to him that it wasn't permanent. And although it was dimmer than before meaning it had worn off a bit, which was a great relief, however, the color was still there and it didn't look like it was gonna go anytime soon.

Finally giving up, he took a seat at one of the benches and sighed, not bothering to check if there was water on it. But then a thought crossed his mind as he panicked, even more worried. What if people recognized him as Phantom with the hairdo? All they needed to do now was to Photoshop him in a phantom outfit and there goes his secret identity! He can't risk that happening so what should he do?

Should he...  _ cut his hair? _ No, he can't risk that happening either! He wasn't a hairstylist and he would look like a total moron with very short hair. Plus, if he transformed into his ghost form, people would realize Phantom's new hairstyle and it wouldn't be long till they put two and two together. How coincidental is that they are both teenage boys, being around the same height and weight, that also got the same haircut,  _ the same day? _ No, he cannot let that happen.

But he can't walk out there like  _ that _ either. He needed help, and fast! Danny practically ran to his change-room locker and searched for his phone, ready to call his best friends.

"Tucker! Come fast, to the boy's change-room! I need you- I'll tell you after, this is serious!" Danny quickly yelled, not bothering to answer any of his friends concerning questions. He knew he couldn't have Sam with him here because she was a girl but he needed Tucker for help. It was too risky to search for them outside.

Danny played with his hands, nervous about the whole ordeal and waited patiently for his friend to come. Only a couple of minutes had passed as he heard the door open and his friend entered, his PDA held with him.

However, the two teenage friends weren't aware of the fact that there was also a third person waiting just outside the gym doors. Dash was excited to see the outcome of his plan. He couldn't imagine how Danny would look like with such shade of hair but he waited patiently for him to come out. And when he saw his geeky friend run into the gym with worry, clearly not paying attention to the other boy outside the gym, his grin widened even more. That was a good sign. Danny must've already discovered his new hair colour and was waiting for someone to help him.

Dash waited for a bit but when he realized they wouldn't be coming out anytime soon, he sighed and decided to just see for himself later in the cafeteria. It would be a surprise he didn't want to open until everyone was present so he forced himself to leave before the two boys left the gym doors. It's not like they could hide in there forever, there was still a bunch of time left till next period. He just had to wait.

Meanwhile, when Tucker saw Danny, he was confused. He was wondering why Danny was in his ghost form but was wearing casual clothes. And when he walked closer, he noticed that his eyes were blue too instead of green.

"Dude, what happened? What's with the sudden change, is this some ghost thing or something?" he asked confused, as Danny sighed, shaking his head.

"No, no, it doesn't involve my ghost half. I thought the same too-" Danny was then interrupted by Tucker's laughing as he glared at him. "What's so funny?"

Tucker continued to laugh, his left hand holding onto the railing of the bathroom stall for support while the other one was clutching onto his stomach. His face was highly amused and Danny continued to glare at him, not appreciating the 'support' he was getting. When his friend stopped laughing he looked back at him, before doubling in laughter.

"Finished?" Danny snarled in annoyance, not seeing what was so funny with the whole situation he was in. If anything, it was tense and he tried to mask his nervousness by frustrated anger. When Tucker stopped laughing, he looked at his friend, grinning with amusement.

"No," the male friend replied, laughing for a couple more seconds before the sound finally faded, the only noise being his heavy breathing. The techno-geek looked at his displeased friend with a smile and decided to explain it to him.

"You see, I thought this was some sort of late ghost puberty or something and that just made me laugh even more with your mad childish face. That, and a couple of black specs at the top of your hair makes it look like there is a baby skunk on your head," his friend explained as Danny rolled his eyes, not believing  _ that _ was the reason for his amusement.

"Hilarious. Now, can we please focus on the actual problem here. If you haven't noticed, I have light grey hair and someone decided it would be funny to play such a weird prank on me," he said seriously as his friend nodded in agreement, leaning closer to inspect his friend's hair. It indeed looked like someone had poorly dyed the black hair and he tried to force his comical self to lay low for now. It did look serious.

"Hmm, yeah it's nothing related to your ghost half though that would've been funny," his friend said amusingly before holding his hands up in surrender when Danny flashed a pair of green angry eyes at him. "This is light spray paint mixed with a liquid; probably water."

Tucker then walked over to the bathroom sink where the bottle was placed and inspected the contents, pouring some of it on the sink and dipping his ring finger on it. "Water has been added to this to decrease the effects of it. Do you want the good news or bad news?"

"Good," Danny said immediately, eager to hear something that would make him feel better. Tucker nodded, washing his hands after smiling at his friend.

"Well, the good news is that it isn't permanent. It will wear off after some scrubbing and effective shampoo. The bad news is..." the boy continued before sighing at the nervous reaction of his best friend. "This will start to wear off completely only after two weeks. Until then, you can do nothing about it. You can't even dye over it or that'll result in damaged hair and make it look worse than before."

Danny gasped in alarm, his eyes about to burst out. " ** _Two weeks?!_ ** You expect me to walk around like-like..  _ like that _ \-  **for two weeks!?** Are you  _ insane?! _ " The boy yelled out, not believing a word his friend was saying. Did he mean he was gonna have to walk around the school, heck around his town, with white hair,  _ without _ being figured out? How was this possible? Sure the citizens here weren't the brightest, but that didn't mean they had no brain!

"Damn man,  _ chill out. _ What's so bad with white hair-  **oh** ..." Tucker trailed off with realization as he looked at the boy, nervous as well. He now realized that if Danny walked around,  _ like that _ , he would surely be discovered.

"Tuck, what am I going to do?! I can't walk around like this, it'll be over for me! My secret identity won't be a secret anymore! I can kiss the chances of having a normal life  _ goodbye! _ " Danny cried out, at this point not caring if someone was listening to their conversation.

"Okay, okay, we need to  _ calm down,  _ people could be listening to us right now! We won't be able to focus like this. First off, we need to know why someone would purposely give you a shampoo bottle of light grey spray paint," before Tucker could complete the sentence, Danny's eyes widened in realization before darkening, flashing green for a couple of seconds.

**"Dash,"** the boy growled, mentioning the name in distaste as his friend raised an eyebrow in confusion before realizing what he meant.  _ Of course _ , who other than Dash would wanna get revenge; excluding the hundreds of ghosts. He must've known that Danny was somewhat responsible for the prank earlier this morning and wanted to get back at him.

"I love how you instantly know who the culprit is," Tucker chuckled as Danny smiled a bit in response before sighing heavily, frowning.

"Ugh, I'm so stupid! Why didn't I check the shampoo first before layering it all over my hair? I'm so dumb!" the stressed boy cried out, burying his face by his shaking hands as Tucker sat beside him, comforting him. They sat there for a couple of minutes before Tucker decided to say something.

"Hey, why don't we ask Sam? She'll know what to do," he suggested as his friend raised his head, not seeming to reject the idea. Their goth friend always seemed to know what to do, as she was quite intelligent.

Danny nodded in agreement as they both got up and Danny took his stuff with him, making sure he also brought the shampoo along. When they needed to explain this to Sam, they would need this as proof. The boys walked out, Danny cautiously covering his hair with his white shirt. He hoped nobody would see him, knowing it was lunch and everybody was most likely outside or in the cafeteria. Tucker also decided to stand in front of him in case they ran into someone.

"Stay there," Tucker ordered, pointing to the storage room where they always hid in. Sam was inside the cafeteria and he couldn't go in there like this. Who knows how many students were in there! Danny silently complied, quickly running to the end of the hallway and forcing open the heavy door. Tucker would then go into the cafeteria to get Sam and he'll explain the situation to her here.

When Tucker was sure that his friend had left and that there was no one watching them, he opened the cafeteria doors and walked to where his friend was sitting, with Valerie. The trio always sat together but for some reason, Valerie decided to join them today. He didn't ask why though and instead pulled Sam aside to inform her of the problem. Of course, he only told her there was a problem regarding Danny, knowing he didn't have much time to waste. Danny was probably worried that someone might enter the janitor's closet and figure him out. So without further words, he dragged his female friend outside the cafeteria, ignoring the confused glances Valerie was giving them.

Danny panicked for a second when he heard the door being forced open, and quickly transformed into Phantom, prepared to turn invisible. But he then calmed down a bit when he saw it was only his two best friends.

"Guys, what's wrong? You had me worried!" Sam quietly exclaimed, worry evident on her face. Danny transformed back to his human self, preferring to show her instead of explaining. Sam's eyes remained frozen when she saw Danny's hair remain the same colour or changing slightly to a darker shade of white with a few specks of black on top. If it weren't for the current problem, she would've found the scene comical.

"Oh my god... you look so much like Phantom," she mumbled as Tucker rolled his eyes at his friend's obliviousness. Of course, he looked like Phantom, he  _ is _ phantom! It doesn't take a genius to figure it out!

On the other hand, Danny groaned and cradled his face using his hands, which were still shaking from before. He couldn't get them to stop! But that was the least of his worries, Sam clearly could tell that he is Phantom! And although that's different, as she already knows his secret and she's smarter than the rest of the school, she could still tell and that was all that mattered. How was he going to get out of this now?

"Great, now all I need is some green contact lenses and a black and white hazmat suit," Danny muttered as his friends chuckled but looked worriedly at him.

"If it makes you better, I have a somewhat good solution," Sam trailed off as that quickly perked up Danny's attention, some hope glimmering on his face. "When we get back from school today, I'll hire a special hairstylist that will surely remove the dye from your hair. But for now, you can borrow one of Tucker's red hats that he keeps extra in his locker."

Tucker nodded in agreement whilst Danny sighed, realizing he'll just have to continue his school day like... _ that _ . He appreciated his goth friend's efforts in trying to help him and Tucker's hat too, but he was just worried that he couldn't focus on responding.

"By the way, guess who was behind this," Tucker said but before the goth friend could say something back, he continued. "The one and only bully, Dash. Speaking of which, I have a feeling Kwan was involved in this too."

The female friend crossed her arms together, an 'I-told-you-so’ look appearing on her face, but surprisingly, said nothing. Instead, she looked at Danny displeased. Danny sighed angrily, scratching his hair nervously in the progress.

"Look, I get it. You were right about why I shouldn't have played a prank on Dash, all the dangers and such. But I don't regret it, okay? I'm tired of him messing around with me like I'm some wimp,  _ which I'm not, _ but he just thinks I am," Danny ranted out, childishly crossing his arms, as he averted his eyes away from his friends. He didn't know if it was because of anger or embarrassment, or shame. Probably a mixture of all.

However, Sam simply just smiled weakly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "Danny, I'm not going to give you a lecture like some child; that's Jazz's job by the way. What's done is done, there's no point in bringing you down when we know it would do nothing other than start a stupid argument. I'm not blaming you either, I was just worried about you. That's all."

Danny was surprised and he looked up to see Sam smiling warmly at him. He smiled back, and they continued to look at each other for what seemed like forever when Tucker coughed, realizing he was in the middle of a couple.

"Not to break you two lovebirds and all, but we gotta head back to the cafeteria. I don't know about you guys but I need to eat, it's time for my feeding," he stated, looking down at his PDA as the pair blushed, looking away from each other, forgetting to remind their friend that they weren't lovebirds. Instead, they nodded in compliance, realizing they couldn't just stay here forever, as much as Danny wanted.

As the three friends exited the small room, they turned down the hallway and speed-walked to Tucker's locker to collect the extra red cap. Tucker quickly unlocked his locker and searched inside, rummaging through his school worksheets. When he finally found it, he handed it over to Danny who silently thanked him.

"Here, use these," his female friend said, handing Danny some purples barrettes as he looked at her confused.

"What, why?" he asked as she rolled her eyes and was about to place one on his hair but he took a step back, holding both his hands up. "Hey! There's no way I'm wearing that!"

"They are supposed to keep your hair in place dummy. Now keep still," she said as he shook his head in protest, taking a step back. There was no way he was going to be seen with them,  _ even _ if he had a hat on top. Wearing Tucker's red cap was enough, now this?

"Yeah,  _ not _ happening. Keep them to yourself, Sam, I'm not wearing those," he stubbornly said, refusing to be seen with them. His female friend sighed in defeat, placing the purple barrettes back in her skirt pockets. Tucker, on the other hand, was grinning but said nothing, afraid his two friends will not take it too well.

Danny adjusted the cap on his head, making sure his white hair wasn't peeking out. And although the barrettes could've helped, he remained stubborn, refusing to put them on his hair. His friends also helped him with his hair and even suggested wearing a hood to cover it in case. But Danny mentioned how he would look suspicious and it would be best if he just stuck with the red hat.

The trio walked to the cafeteria, each step holding a ton on Danny's shoulder. He didn't know why he was nervous, after all, he had managed to hide his hair well with the help of his friends. And Danny knew he couldn't hide here forever, he had to face them sometime soon whether he liked it or not.

As soon as the trio entered the cafeteria, Danny instantly regretted ever coming in, his confidence dropping lower than his math grades. Everybody was staring at them weirdly and although it didn't seem like it was humoured, it wasn't good staring either. His two friends forced him to continue walking to their original seat, nudging him now and then.

"You know, your horrified expression is making them stare at you more," Sam dryly said, nudging him by the shoulder when he froze for a second.

"Very funny, Sam," Danny weakly replied, trying to force an annoyed look at his friend but didn't have the energy to. Sam sighed at his response, wishing he would've at least glared at her, then she would be more relieved.

All Danny wanted to do right now was run out of the cafeteria doors and to the safety of his home,  _ somewhat _ . But then he got reminded that he can't do that either when his parents notice the new look. As soon as they notice the white hair, he's a goner. At this point, he even considered turning invisible but that would be too suspicious in front of everybody. He even wished any ghost would interrupt, even Skulker, but to his misfortune, the blue mist never appeared. If only Desiree was present.

They were so close to their destination, but Danny never really got what he wanted.

"What's up, Fenturd?" a voice said behind as Danny froze, his face turning ten times paler than usual. He fearfully turned around to where the sound was coming from, knowing full well who it was. He wished that a miracle would happen and a ghost,  _ any ghost _ , would show up to kick his butt but no luck.

"Wow, would you look at that. It looks like you've just seen a ghost!" Dash snickered, the jocks around him chuckling along. Dash had already explained to them about the prank and they all seemed excited to see the outcome.

_ Worse than any ghost I've encountered, _ Danny thought mentally but said nothing out loud, afraid he'll say something stupid and ruin the disguise he managed to pull off. If he wanted to finish the day off, he was gonna have to go along with what Dash said and swallow his pride. No matter how much he wanted to add a snarky remark.

"Go away Dash, we're not in the mood," Tucker said annoyingly, mentally rolling his eyes as the jock raised one of his eyebrows, bringing his eyes back to the victim.

"Hmm, I don't think I will. Say, Fenton, why are you so quiet today? I thought you would've said something by now, especially after the incident earlier this morning," he responded casually, smirking in response as Danny fought ever the urge to not grin. He must've figured out already, no surprise. His prank was indeed great but he couldn't show him his pleased reaction or Dash will play the other side of the game.

"Just get it over with Dash.  _ I'm busy, _ " Danny soberly said, making sure to hide his amused yet nervous expression from his rival. If he wanted to get out of here alive, he was gonna have to play it cool and hope for the best. Dash, however, ignored Danny's comment and took a step forward, wearing an amused grin.

"Nice hat, got it from Sucker, right?" he questioned as Danny nervously looked around while Tucker frowned, opening his mouth to correct him but stopped when he met Danny's eyes. He just wanted to get it over with. Danny nodded in response to Dash's question, hoping it was the last one but little did he know it was just the beginning.

"Why are you so nervous? Are you hiding something?..." he trailed off and Danny shook his head quickly before turning to face his friends, silently asking for help. "Are you afraid I'll do something like..this," Dash suddenly took a quick step forward, as if pretending to take off Danny's hat. Danny reacted quickly, pushing himself out of the way as he clutched onto the hat on top of his hair, depending on it like it was his life. Dash wore an amused expression as he turned around to face the captive crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm aware that my prank would make you forget what happened earlier this morning. Consider this as a warning to everyone that thinks it's funny to  **ever** oppose me," he said darkly and before any of them, including Danny, could utter a word, Dash quickly pulled over and snatched the hat off of Danny's head. Unfortunately, he was too late this time to move out of the way. The action alone was shocking. His hair pulled along towards the direction the hat was snatched from, making it more messier than usual. It was the same style Danny wore when he was Phantom and in the middle of a fight. Everybody gasped, including the jocks when they saw the reveal of Danny's hair color, some of it now covering his left eye.

Danny hesitantly patted his head, making sure this was not a dream and the hat was still placed but to his horror, there was nothing on top. He wanted to run, scream crazily but he stood there, frozen. He was afraid, would they recognize him?

Not only was Danny shocked but so was the crowd, even Dash and the rest of the jocks. Nobody dared to say anything, afraid that one word would affect everyone. Dash was lightly holding onto the red hat, staring dumbfounded at the person who resembled his hero. The shampoo had worked effectively all right, but he wasn't expecting  _ anything _ like this.

"Y-you... you look a lot like Phantom," Kwan finally said, breaking the silence as the rest of the jocks nodded their heads slowly in agreement, not finding the right words to continue. The rest of the students just continued to stare at the boy with white hair, trying to put the pieces together. Could...could it be?

"Ahah, t-that's funny. Why would I be the Phantom?" Danny nervously stuttered out, smiling at them like they were nuts. He can't just let his cover blow like that, knowing as soon as he admitted he was a ghost, the whole world would know about it in less than an hour.  _ Thanks to social media. _

"Yeah, that's impossible! Danny is a human, not a ghost like Phantom!" Tucker also said, trying to defend his friend as he stepped beside him. Sam was also about to step in and add another fact when she got interrupted by a certain blonde jock.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but, Kwan's right. You look vaguely similar to Phantom..." Dash trailed off and Danny shook his head quickly, looking at his friends for support.

"Just because he looks like him doesn't mean he  _ is _ ," Sam stated, which earned a few nods from the crowd while the rest just looked unsure at her, not buying it. Danny hated to say this but the people here weren't  _ that  _ dumb.

"Um, hello? Danny Fenton. Danny  **Phantom** ? They have the same first name and their last names sound the same too," a bold student from the crowd said intelligently while he continued. "Plus, they  _ do _ have the same body shape and head too."

"Haha, how do they look alike? Phantom is all buff and muscular while Danny here is just wimpy," Tucker said as Danny glared at him from the corner of his eye. If it weren't for the situation, he would've protested and explained how his baggy clothes were the ones that made him look so small.

"Hmm, I don't know...They seem to have the same body shape to me..." another student said as some nodded in agreement while others just continued to gawk at him.

"Danny... Are you Phantom?" Dash simply asked, staring at him with guilt hidden beneath his eyes. He didn't know why but something about Danny made him look very similar to Phantom. He didn't know why he hadn't noticed the similarities before, probably because he never paid attention or compared them together.

"You guys are seriously weird. How can I be-" before Danny could even complete his sentence, a cold wisp appeared from his mouth, alerting him of a nearby ghost. Everybody looked at him in confusion, while the jocks raised an eyebrow.

"Are you okay? Why's there smoke coming out of your mouth? It's not even cold today," Dash said confusedly as Danny took a step back, also confused as to how they noticed it. But before he can say anything, a ghost phased from the ceiling, specifically the Box Ghost.

"I am the box ghoooost!  _ Fear me! _ " the 'scary' ghost stated, his voice echoing through the cafeteria as Danny and his friends rolled their eyes. Of all the ghosts that could've appeared, the most annoying one had to show up. But that's not what annoyed Danny the most. The fact that a ghost had to come out  _ after _ Dash revealed his hair is what made him frustrated. And although he wasn't complaining since he didn't want to come up with an excuse in response to Dash's question, he was still annoyed.

"Gimme a break," Danny muttered under his breath so no one would hear. But before he could do anything, he got the feeling that people were still staring at him. So he looked at the crowd, instantly wishing he hadn't. He was right, they were still staring at him, waiting for something to happen. He raised an eyebrow at them as if asking why they weren't running around but then he sighed, realizing the Box Ghost wasn't scary anyway.

"What're you guys waiting for?  **Runoff,** " the goth female growled, noticing the discomfort of her ghost friend. Some people stepped back, slowly walking out but still looking back to see if they would miss anything while the others just stayed, not budging. Danny sighed heavily, realizing he couldn't 'go ghost' here so he decided to leave as well to the male restroom.

_ Today's going to be a long day, _ Danny thought mentally before letting the two blue rings wash over him, turning him into his ghost half.

* * *

_ And I thought today couldn't get any worse,  _ Danny inwardly groaned, not focusing. He wanted to get this over with but he couldn't do anything without all the curious questions being thrown at him every minute. And he had trouble throwing shots at the annoying ghost with all the people around, afraid he'll hurt someone by accident.

He motioned to Sam to unscrew the Fenton thermos so that they can capture the other ghost who managed to appear after the box ghost.

_ So now they decide to show up, _ Danny dryly thought to himself, annoyed both at the ghosts and his classmates. They were making this ten times harder than any other time. That's one of the reasons why he didn't seem too keen on revealing his identity.

"You got this Danny!" a student yelled from the crowd, breaking his concentration as he raised an eyebrow at the comment. He's never heard anyone call him Danny before, that is, in his ghost form. They either referred to him as Inviso-bill, Ghostboy, or Phantom.  _ Never _ Danny.

After the last ghost was done with, Danny quickly flew to the washroom so he could revert to his human self before anybody questioned him any further. He then slowly exited the restroom, not feeling excited about the next class. He wanted to avoid people at all costs and ask Tucker for another extra red hat. At least then, it would be less awkward and people wouldn't pay too much attention.

But before he could take one step down the hallway, he was pulled by a certain someone. Or people in this case.

"What-" before Danny could say anything else, he was silenced when he noticed who these people were. Dash, Kwan, Paulina, Star, and a couple more jocks and cheerleaders- basically all the people who half hated him. Surprisingly, there wasn't a crowd following them as usual,  _ in fact, _ nobody was in the hallways except for them.

"Say, Danny, where were you during the ghost fight that happened in the cafeteria?" Dash asked suspiciously as Danny's eyes perked up, noticing how Dash didn't give him a nickname. Nothing about today seemed normal to him.

"Um, I was at the washroom obviously," he nervously said, fidgeting with his fingers.  _ Nice going, Fenton, _ he mentally added.

"For twenty minutes?" Kwan asked, raising an eyebrow as everybody continued to look at him, or look at his hair anyway.

"Y-yeah," he stuttered, trying to find a good excuse as to why he would spend a bunch of time in the washroom. "I was, uh, washing my hair."

They continued to stare at him, not believing the poor excuse the boy had come up with on the spot. They were now one hundred percent sure that Danny was Phantom; same hair, same body, the same face, the same voice, the list goes on.

"Why don't you wanna tell us?" Paulina asked all of a sudden as he mentally rolled his eyes, forcing himself not to say anything stupid. He could come up with a list as to why he wouldn't want to tell anyone,  _ especially them _ , but it would continue till sunset.

"Why don't you guys just leave him alone?" Sam angrily retorted back, running up to Danny so that she was beside him. He mentally thanked her, knowing you wouldn't have known what to say afterward. Tucker also came by, standing on the other side.

"Yeah! If he doesn't want to tell you then let him be!" Tucker yelled out, not paying attention to what he meant by that. Danny glared at him while Tucker looked at him confused, not knowing why he was mad. But then he took a moment to realize what he said and shot Danny a guilty look.

Surprisingly, none of the jocks said anything to him, they just continued to stare at him, scrutinizing them closely. By this point, Danny ran out of stuff to say and he was about to admit that he is indeed Phantom. The rumour was going to get passed on anyway and they already had enough evidence to prove it.

"Listen, guys, I-" Danny was suddenly interrupted by Dash as he signalled his group to leave, leaving them with only Kwan, Star and Paulina by his side.

"It's okay, you don't have to say anything. Tell us when you need anything," Dash simply said, as his friends nodded, while Danny just stood there, confused. They then left, but before that, Paulina smiled at him and winked.

"I've finally wrapped myself around the idea of 'Paulina Fenton'" she said, blowing a kiss as she left as well, while the trio just stood there shocked.

"Okay, I'm feeling relieved and nauseated at the same time," Sam said, rolling her eyes as the two friends chuckled at her behaviour, but one question remained in their minds.

_ What just happened? _

* * *

The next day felt somewhat normal yet different at the same time. For starters, yesterday during class went slowly, especially with the same stares from the cafeteria but Danny ignored it. And right after school, Danny went over to Sam's where she hired a special hairstylist who managed to get the chemicals off his hair without dying or damaging it. He was extremely thankful for that. He also got a small haircut along the way since his hair was beginning to cover his eyes and he couldn't fight ghosts with blocked eyesight.

And the next day, there were still the occasional stares even though he washed the white off his hair, but nobody bothered with the questions this time. They just let him get through school and the regular ghost fights. Even the jocks and cheerleaders left him alone, and that was weird. They were acting nice to him, offering to help him with school stuff or to sit with them during lunch to which Danny declined.

The thing was they weren't mad at him. Even Dash stopped wailing on him and showed kindness.

But the weirdest part of the day was no one outside of Casper High knew about the hair incident. Even the parents. Danny thought it was impossible for the students to not share this online but he was wrong. His parents weren't aware of the situation which was a surprise since they always watched the news and the trio wouldn't believe it.

Life for Danny was now much easier. They knew his secret but respected his wishes of not revealing it to the world. He still had some crazy fans now and then during school, but it was better than having them all the time. Plus, he liked the attention a bit and he was glad now that he wasn't chosen last for dodge-ball or a math project. He can finally fight ghosts during school without coming up with excuses or the tense pressure of keeping his identity a secret. He even suspected that the teachers secretly knew about this and why they never marked him absent or demanded complete homework.

Danny, for once, started liking school even though math remained his least favourite subject.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 13 032


	7. Photoshop is a Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Somehow, somebody was able to photo-shop and leak a photo of Danny Fenton in a Danny Phantom costume. Danny panics and his friends help him find out who the culprit is without raising suspicion. Could the students of Casper High finally recognize their hero?

It was a Sunday night when Danny decided it was wise to play his favourite computer game with his best friend, Tucker. Although the two friends were supposed to be studying for their upcoming math test, they were stressed out by the number of ghosts that were appearing more frequently than usual in the past two weeks. Why? They still don't know but they didn't bother asking, knowing they were more likely to not receive an answer. Playing 'Doomed' always managed to bring their spirits up though which explained why the internet was bad today.

Danny was exhausted, and he tried to hide it from his parents, although that wasn't exactly hard, knowing he had Jazz to cover up using her psychological nonsense. His friends were aware of it and suggested that he take a break and let them fight some ghosts instead. And just two days ago, the whole trio took a break and let the Fenton's and GIW handle them while Danny caught up on sleep and school work. After all, his marks weren't the best and exams were coming up quicker than the number of ghosts exiting the Fenton portal.

Summer break was just one month away and Danny was excited. He was going to use the time to sleep and not stress over any school projects and books. Plus, he could use a break from his annoying classmates and obsessive ghosts.

But for now, he had to focus on his studies. Danny and Tucker both knew that they  ** _should_ ** be studying but they couldn't seem to take their heads off the game. Sam was also playing the game, which she proved was good at, but she had to leave an hour ago, saying she had to study and suggested they do the same. However, the two male friends ignored her and resumed their game, focusing on defeating the last pixel villain.

The clock was ticking and it was almost one am. Danny usually stayed up till three am playing this game, or fighting some ghosts, but he knew he had to stop soon or he would never get the sleep he needed.

_ Aren't we supposed to be studying for the math test tomorrow? _ Danny typed, quickly averting his attention to the game in progress.

_ Nah, I'll do it tmr morning. I mean, how hard can it possibly be?  _ Tucker typed back as Danny paused the game, knowing they needed to take a break and talk some more about the small problem they were currently facing.  **Game addiction.**

_ Idk man. Lancer's gonna kill us if we fail another test, me especially, _ Danny replied, not feeling so confident anymore about skipping studying.

_ I think your curiosity already beat him to it lol,  _ Tucker typed, earning an eye roll from his friend. Did he ever mention that his friend had the worst jokes ever?

_ Haha, very funny Tuck. But srsly tho, we should probably listen to Sam... _ Danny typed back, after shaking his head annoyingly at his friend's joke.

_And risk losing the last level left? Criminal. Come on Danny, it's for only 1 night, lightin' up a little_ _man_, his friend typed back, earning a groan by Danny. Oh, he was so going to regret this in the morning.

* * *

And he absolutely did.

The two friends spent last night, or should I say, early morning, playing 'Doomed' until three am. And if Danny hadn't convinced Tucker that they had a test to study for and that they'll have time tomorrow to continue their game, they would've gone up to six in the morning. Talk about procrastination at it's best.

Danny walked to school the next morning with heavy dark bags under his eyes, hanging like sags of chocolate milk. His white shirt with the red oval in the middle was crinkled because he was rushing in the morning to get it on, hanging loosely on his body, giving it no frame whatsoever. Sure Danny didn't have the perfect body like the jocks did in his school, but he did have muscles and framed arms and chest from all the ghost fighting. His hands and fingers looked swollen red, decorated from the tip of his finger to his biceps. It was most likely caused by all the typing and leaning forward on the computer than the ghosts themselves. 

He had to drag his legs along, forcing them to reach his locker so he can at least get his books and walk to his first class to get some sleep. Danny was glad Dash hadn't picked on him yet, or he would've seriously collapsed on the floor right there. He did regret staying up late. He reminded himself to stop listening to his best friend for a change.

Tucker wasn't any better, wearing the same look, with the heavy bags hanging from his eyes and slugging body that looked to have no life in them. It was clear to Sam that her friends have indeed not listened to her advice  _ (not like she was expecting them to) _ and decided to continue with their game to who knows how long. Her brain was urging her to scold them for not listening to her but she forced herself not to.

Danny phased his arm into the locker, too tired to open it like a human being. At this point, he didn't care if someone had seen him turn his hands intangible. If they did, it was not like they were gonna believe he was a ghost. It was morning.  _ Nobody _ was fully awake. 

He grabbed his binders and books, flipping through them and checking to see he had everything he needed, his mind however still not entirely focused in school. He then turned to face his female friend, who was looking at him like how a mother would look at a kid when they were caught guilty with cookies.

Sam opened her mouth to say something smart but then stopped herself, shaking her head instead. She knew it wouldn't do her any good if she scolded him. After all, he wasn't a child and he didn't need someone to teach him. That was Jazz's job.

" _ Oh _ . Hey," he finally said, noticing that his friends were present and looking at him, as the pair rolled their eyes.

"Glad you noticed. For a second, I thought we turned ghost instead," Sam dryly said as Tucker chuckled. Instead of replying with a snarky remark, Danny shook his head instead, walking in front of them and down to the hallway.

"Sorry. I'm feeling kind of tired today," he said, waving it off.

"You think?" Tucker replied as the two friends followed after Danny, catching up to him.

"Danny, we gave you an extra week to catch up on sleep and school. But you spent the whole time playing 'Doomed' with Tucker," Sam said in dismay, crossing her arms.

"I haven't played the game since the time Lancer made me study for an exam and when Technus decided to rule the technology world. Shouldn't I have time to do something I  _ want _ to do, like a normal  _ human _ boy?" Danny retorted back, stopping to turn to face his female friend and make sure nobody had heard what he said.

"Danny, I'm not telling you not to have fun every once in a while, in fact, I want you to go out and spend less time dealing with those troublemaking ghosts. Honestly, it pains me to see you protecting the city when you're just a teenage boy who has school and fun to experience. But you should also spend the time getting the sleep you need and getting good grades on school work, especially since exams are soon," she explained, sighing a bit before starting to walk again, motioning her two male friends to follow her.

"I guess you're right. I'll try to be more productive today," he finally replied, as Sam nodded, satisfied with his answer before taking his arm and leading him to the other direction. He was walking to the wrong class and she couldn't help but shake her head.

"Where are you going? We don't have Phys. ed now, we got math, remember? Man, those games Tucker made you play must've seriously messed with your brain," she stated teasingly as Tucker muttered a 'hey!' in response which earned an eye roll by Danny.

"What are you going to do? Get Spectra to deal with my mental health state?" Danny joked, following his two friends as Tucker chuckled but to his surprise, Sam only grinned.

"Nah, I think I'll just get your sister to take care of you," she casually said, diverting her eyes away from Danny as he scowled, afraid she wasn't joking.

" _ I swear _ if you guys tell Jazz  **anything** about this-"

The goth and techno-geek broke into fits of laughter, continuing their way to class as Danny rolled his eyes annoyed at them, but a smile was tugging at the edge of his lips.

"Damn man, I didn't know you were afraid of her  _ that _ much. Is it because she keeps shoving you into the Fenton thermos?" Tucker asked in between chuckles as Sam grinned in response. Danny only frowned, walking further away from them.

"Hey! I was only joking, come back here Danny!" Tucker yelled from behind, the pair running up to catch up with their friend who was now ignoring them. But inside, Danny felt better than earlier in the morning, the smile now visible on his face.

_ If only he knew it wouldn't last long.  _ ** _(A/N: AGAHAHH I'm sO sorRy guYs)_ **

* * *

"So how do you think you guys did on the test?" Sam asked after the trio walked out of their math class. Surprisingly, Danny didn't fall asleep and actually finished the test in time.

"I think I did okay. I mean, it's just  _ one _ math test, what could go wrong?" Tucker said, shrugging uncaring though there was some amusement lying in his face. Danny, however, ignored his friend's weird expression and groaned at his current situation, scratching his hair out of frustration. His friends knew he was terrible at math and just the mention of it was a pain in the head.

"I probably failed. If my parents find out about this, my curfew will be moved to 9 instead of 10. And knowing the box ghost, I doubt he'll have mercy and let me get any sleep" he murmured annoyed, rubbing his temple as the two friends followed Danny to his locker.

"And you don't have an actual excuse for it either this time for failing the test. Not like you could've told them before," Sam pointed out as Danny shot her an unimpressed look, not wanting to hear another lecture about responsibility.

"I'm starting to think you're Jazz in disguise," he muttered as his female friend rolled her eyes.

"You're always the man with the jokes," she replied dryly, as Danny smirked but before he could retort back, he noticed something in his locker that wasn't there before, making him freeze.

Inside his locker, although it was quite messy and papers were about to explode out of the dirty shelves, the visible picture stood out between everything else. The thing is, the picture wasn't even his! And it wasn't an ordinary one too.

But he pushed the thought aside that someone had known his locker code (since it wasn't possible to stick it through a slip) and focused on the contents of the picture. In the photo, were pictures of two specific people. One of Danny Phantom, a picture you could've gotten on Google but that wasn't what worried him. Next to the picture was a picture of him, Danny  _ Fenton _ , in the same hero outfit he wore in his ghost half. The two pictures were shown to compare the 'two' boys and when he flipped the photo over, there was a chilling sentence. He almost thought there was a ghost nearby because of his uncontrollable shivering.

_ 'I know who you are' _ it said.

"Um guys, you might want to see this," he said, holding the piece of paper like it was full of contagious germs. Sam looked over his shoulder curiously, wanting to know what caused the sudden mood of her friend when her eyes quickly widened to saucers.

" **Oh** ," she quietly said, taking the photo out of Danny's hands to inspect it herself. For thirty seconds, nobody said anything, except for the sound of Danny's heavy breathing. Sam was looking at him worryingly every now and then, trying to find the right words to say.

Danny looked over at Tucker to see what his reaction would be but was surprised when he was met with a pair of gleaming eyes and a huge smirk plastered all over his face. Danny raised an eyebrow, asking  _ 'what's so funny?' _ when their techno-geek friend burst into laughter. Some students looked over at him in confusion but ignored him nevertheless, assuming he was reading some weird geek stuff on his PDA.

The two friends, however, looked at him with bewilderment, not understanding what was going on. Was he okay? Was a ghost overshadowing him? Did he get hit on the head or something? So many questions but little answer. They were even considering taking him to a hospital but they knew he wouldn't go near it.

"Tucker, have you been reading too much fanfiction?" she asked, knowing how much the boy loved reading comics and fanfiction during his leisure time. However, all the techno-geek did was glare for a millisecond before resuming to chuckle a bit more, snatching the photo out of their hands.

"Oh my god, that was priceless! I can't believe it worked! I  _ definitely _ got you there," he amusingly said, ripping the paper in half as the two friends stared at him in shock.

" **What the hell do you think you're doing?!** That was our only evidence!" Sam exclaimed, about to explode on Tucker when he held his hands up as if to defend himself. Danny, on the other hand, was still shocked over what happened in the last five minutes and took time to process all of this, since the math test he finished a couple of minutes ago kind of messed with his brain.

"Tucker, you can be an absolute  **idiot** sometimes," Danny said calmly, anger and confusion hidden beneath his voice. He tried to push in the green eyes that were flashing rapidly so it wouldn't raise suspicion by the passing students.

"Guys, guys, hear me out! This isn't real,  _ none of it is _ . The photo, the note-  _ all of it, _ was my doing! It was supposed to be a funny prank and I think it did its job well," Tucker smirked, though looked at them cautiously, preparing himself for the fury of his two friends. The two froze, a whole set of news splattered across them as they just stared at him, not even blinking.

"Danny, would you like to do the honours of stuffing grass in his mouth for a whole hour?" Sam asked calmly, bringing her attention to Danny as he nodded in agreement. The two looked at the prankster responsible for their anxiousness as he chuckled nervously, holding his red hat.

"Heh he- you guys are joking, right? Right?" he asked, trying to figure out if they were serious or not though, by the looks they were giving him, they seemed pretty determined to do so.

"Okay, we split it up. I do half, and you do half. Sounds fair?" Danny suggested with complete seriousness in his voice as Sam nodded and they looked at the now nervous boy.

"Um, don't we have phys. ed right now? Wouldn't want Ms. Tetslaff lashing on us, would we? I better go now!" Tucker quickly stuttered out, immediately running away, not giving them a second glance. All he knew was that he had to get out of there quickly before they would continue with their evil plan. Sure he hated school, but that didn't mean he was ready to die soon!

* * *

Tucker ended up not dying later in the day, unlike his ghost friend, but he did receive dirty looks from his still angry friends. They, however, didn't try stuffing him with grass since he kept a good distance away from them. Sam and Danny then decided to take back their revenge and just forget it ever happened but before they can say anything to Tucker, who seemed nowhere to be found, they were starting to get weird glances from people.

"Hey, is it me or everybody's staring at you weirdly?" Sam whispered to Danny as he nodded in agreement, walking at a slower pace. For the first time, excluding his ghost half, he was starting to receive some strange attention. He hoped it was for a good reason and not just some mad rumour.

"Uh-huh, and I'm starting to think either it's some rumour Dash spread about me or we're just paranoid," he replied, now eager to find his techno-geek for answers. If it was spread online, Tucker would have surely been the first one to know and tell them.

"I'm honestly not sure I even have the answer to that," Sam said back, pushing Danny to walk faster so they could get quicker to Tucker. They didn't even know where he was, but they couldn't just stand there and let them continue to stare at them, particularly at Danny.

The two friends continued their search for Tucker who was currently not present. Where was he? They even checked the nurse's office even though they knew he would never end up there. That's how desperate they were.

And then, as if God was listening to their prayers, they found their geeky friend who seemed to be worried about something.

He was outside of school since it was lunchtime, and his bag of chips seemed to be sitting on the wooden table, untouched. That scenario alone was suspicious, considering Tucker loved food and never missed his hourly feeding. Instead, he was pacing around the table, deep in thought of something. If their situation was urgent, they would've tried scaring him but they were more concerned for him. Did he have a doctor's appointment or something?

"Hey, Tuck! Why are you so worried?"Danny asked, his voice laced with concern, confused why his friend looked like he was on the verge of fainting.

"Is it because of our threat? Well then, don't worry about it, we gave up trying to tie you up halfway. You should be thankful," Sam explained, shrugging as she looked at Tucker but frowned when she saw that he still looked pale.

"Um Tucker, we just said we won't force you into eating Sam's usual diet. Why do you still look like a ghost?" Danny asked jokingly, though he was trying to have his friend at least say something, even a bad joke.

"I- Guys, I made a huge mistake," Tucker finally said, holding onto his red cap nervously. He looked to have trouble breathing properly and his friends were wondering if they should make him visit a doctor.

"Yeah, when you decided to give us a heart attack in the morning. But we're all over that now, we came here to ask you for something," Sam explained, reassuring him that they didn't come to get their revenge but that wasn't helping him. In fact, he seemed to grow even paler.

"Guys, I'm-I'm so sorry- I didn't know, I just- Just don't get mad at me!" Tucker sputtered out as his friends looked at him like he was speaking gibberish. What did he mean by that? Sam and Danny exchanged glances before deciding on the same opinion.

"Okay, that's it, we're taking you to the doctor," Danny said, grabbing ahold of Tucker's arm as he quickly pulled his hands away, holding them in a worried manner.

"No, no, I'm fine! Just- ugh I don't know how to explain this to you!" Tucker said, going back to holding his cap as Sam held onto his shoulders in a comforting manner.

"Yeah, by the looks of it. Okay, take deep breaths and just don't say anything," she demanded, forcing him to inhale and exhale calmly. He did as told and after a minute, he nodded as to say he was ready to talk.

"Okay, just nod or shake your head, for now, got it?" Danny asked as Tucker nodded. "Good. Now tell us, are you worried because we said we'll continue our revenge?"

Tucker shook his head 'no' and the pair sighed in relief. Well, now they knew they weren't the source of his distress.

"Is this related to the prank, in any way?" Sam asked as he nodded.

"Is this something bad, like,  **really** bad?" Danny asked which, unfortunately, earned a nod.

"Hmm, is this related to me or Danny?" Sam asked.

"Danny."

"Okay, that doesn't sound anywhere near good, I suppose. Am I the one responsible though?" Danny asked, hoping he didn't do something wrong to upset his friend.

"Actually no, it's all my fault this is happening right now," Tucker replied shortly as his friends looked at him, eager for an actual explanation of what was going on.

"Well, remember the photo you saw in your locker this morning?" Tucker asked nervously as his friends nodded. "So I had another one, somewhere in my binder in case I lost the original one or something. Turns out, I did lose it. Or so I thought."

"That can't be good," Sam muttered, narrowing her eyes as Danny sighed, shaking his head. When was the last time they ever received good news?

"Well, it turns out a certain  _ 'someone' _ stole that photo and um, made copies of it to attach all around the school," Tucker mumbled, hoping they didn't hear it but they sure did.

" **WHAT?!** " The two friends said in unison, not believing what they were hearing.

"Guys, I'm so sorry! I was too scared to tell you guys so I decided to handle it on my own and take them all out but I was too late. Half the school already saw it and to make things worse, they also decided to post it online on the school website and it's trending. Like, literally the talk of the school," he rambled, trying to stop himself from worrying his ghost friend even more.

"Oh my god Tucker," Danny groaned as he turned to face the students who were still whispering, most likely about him.

"Danny, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do it! I tried to stop but-but..." Tucker stuttered out as Sam sighed.

"Well, it's not like we can do anything now, right?" Sam said as Danny felt the colour drain from his face, turning to lean onto a nearby tree.

"I-i, who do you think it is?" Danny sputtered out before realization dawned on him. Of course, the only person capable of believing and even doing it.

"Wes Weston," Sam grumbled as Tucker nodded, his hands clutching the PDA in his hands. Not even his precious game could help him wash away the nervousness.

"Oh, what am I going to do? Nobody can know my secret!" Danny whispered frantically to his friends.

"Not with your loud voice. But hey, look on the bright side. People are blind, I doubt they'll be able to comprehend that you're Phantom. They're just stupid pictures after all," Sam explained, as Tucker nodded, calming down a bit.

"Yeah, Danny! They've never noticed the similarities before so why would they now?" Tucker added on as Danny nodded at them appreciatively.

"Well, you sure seem calmer now Tuck," Danny pointed out as the techno-geek grinned.

"I was mostly worried about your wrath, really Sam's. She's scarier than you when she's mad, and that's saying a lot since you're a ghost," he teased as Danny rolled his eyes but smiled, feeling a bit better while Sam simply chuckled.

"I'm glad I have such an effect on you. But don't worry, by tomorrow morning, expect this to be yesterday's news and be back with a whole new set of rumours-"

"Hey Fenton!" a familiar voice yelled as Danny gulped internally, knowing fully well who the voice belonged to. Everybody else had gone from whispering to silence. Danny could now hear his heartbeat from how quiet it got.

The blonde jock walked over to the nervous boy with a familiar paper at his hand. His face looked determined, wanting instant answers.

"Um, what can I do for you, Dash?" Danny asked, hoping he would just verbally abuse him and leave him be. He was in no mood to deal with Dash's attitude today, and if it was related to the latest rumour, count him out.

"I heard something today and I want the truth," he said, holding out the dreaded photo of the same two boys. "Does this ring any bells?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Danny unemotionally said, making sure to make eye contact but not too long to make Dash beat him up. Surprisingly, the jock ignored the boy's comment and didn't grab onto him or physically attack him. He didn't even insult him yet, though Danny didn't want to jinx himself.

"I'm being serious here, Fentur-. Just tell me, is this true? Like, are you Phantom?" Dash asked again but stronger and filled with determination. Danny looked nervously at the crowd, noticing all of them listening attentively.

"No Dash, I'm not a ghost. I'm alive, see?" he said, looking back up and holding out his hands. The crowd started to nod at his sentence. After all, everybody knew Danny was a human, so how can he suddenly be a ghost? "Seriously, me and Phantom look nothing alike-"

"Liar," a voice said as Danny stopped to look at the source of the voice. "He's lying. You look exactly like him, except for the hair and eyes which you can easily change using a wig/hair dye and eye contacts"

"Shut up, Wes," Sam growled, knowing the boy wouldn't stop until he revealed Danny's identity. She didn't know how he would benefit from any of this but she wasn't going to let him continue exposing her friend like that. "You better keep your mouth shut before I come there and zip it for you."

Wes didn't seem fazed by the female goth's threat and continued. "I mean, is it a coincidence that they also have the same name and their last name's rhyme? You can also see the two pictures for all the obvious similarities."

"I'm not dead though!" Danny exclaimed, panicking on the inside. This dude was seriously going to get him in trouble one day and he had to stop him now before the day is today. "That could've been any picture you found online."

"Actually, I'm aware that your geeky friend was the one responsible for comparing your two halves, am I right?" Wes asked, raising an eyebrow but said nothing when he didn't receive a response and left instead, confident that the whole school would believe him now.

"Can you show us?" Dash asked, followed by a rest of 'yeah's' and nods.

"Show you what?" Danny asked, confused as they looked at him seriously before he understood what they were talking about.

"Do you guys seriously believe that  _ psycho _ ? He's been talking about me for ages now, he's crazy! I told you, I'm not Phantom!" Danny groaned loudly before taking the hands of both his friends and dragging them inside the school.

"Danny, again, I'm so sorry-"

"It's okay Tuck, it's not your fault. If only that kid hadn't stepped in, I could've convinced them I wasn't a ghost," Danny grumbled as Sam smiled at him weakly and together, they walked to their next class that was going to start in three minutes. For the first time, Danny was going to be early for class.

* * *

Danny did not come early to class that day. Unfortunately, Johnny 13 decided to strike again and brought Shadow along. As if Danny wasn't having bad luck already. Everybody knew there was a ghost fight happening and since Danny wasn't in class, his classmates started getting suspicious.

News spread fast and by the end of the day, everybody knew Danny wasn't present during class while the ghost fight was going on, which caused many theories to spike up. His friends continued to inform people that it wasn't possible that Danny and Phantom were the same person but only managed to convince a small amount, including Valerie. She seemed in denial that Phantom was a half-ghost so she didn't believe that Danny could be the person she was fighting along. Sure Valerie was intelligent, but whenever she was convinced in something, there was no changing her mind.

The rest seemed to be on the lookout and didn't buy the coincidence. Danny started believing that maybe Shadow was somehow behind his crud luck but later pushed that thought away since he knew Shadow probably had better stuff to do than causing him misery.

For the next days of school, people seemed to treat him rather nicely. Although he continued to tell them he wasn't a ghost, a few believed him while the rest laughed it off and others even found it amusing. Nevertheless, the attention wasn't too much but he was still favoured among his classmates and was even invited to join people's group. Even Dash seemed to not bully him anymore however was still debating whether his idol was a full ghost or half of the kid he used to bully. Danny didn't blame him however and was glad that Dash and his group were ignoring him.

As for the girls of Casper High, they seemed a bit  _ too _ interested in him, some giggling at his jokes during class while others asking if he wanted to go out with them, even the school's lead cheerleader, Paulina. Sam, however, helped him get rid of them and Tucker even tried hitting on them but failed. Though, there were a few who did surprisingly accept.

Other than that, school seemed to go normally and Danny was glad the teachers weren't aware of the rumours going around. They continued to scold him and give him detention slips but Danny paid no mind to them. As long as only some of his classmates knew and they treated him normally, he wouldn't mind. Still, Danny and his friends continued to spread the word across the school, but there was still someone standing in their way, Wes.

But in the end, Danny didn't care and chose to continue doing his normal stuff in school. After all, his secret may one day be revealed and that way, his classmates wouldn't be too shocked when they find out...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Word Count: 5 113


End file.
